Posted by CHARLES OBASI on
IF late Justice Ogiale rises from his grave today he will be highly grieved over what is happening in his family.
IF late Justice Ogiale rises from his grave today he will be highly grieved over what is happening in his family.
The family of the late judge is in great tumult now. His first daughter, Ms Bamidele Ogiale was allegedly killed in a mysterious circumstance. Then suspicions took over and accusing fingers are being pointed at his last wife and her children.
Most disheartening in the unfortunate incident was the fact that the controversy in the family has spread and has degenerated to a battle over who will claim the late judge's property at Wemabod Estate Ikeja and who will be the girlfriend of a rich custom officer in that Estate.
That is what we gathered and his last wife, Mrs. Rose Ogiale and her two daughters are now in police custody at Panti Yaba.
Ms Bamidele Ogiale was allegedly beaten to a state of coma but later died in a hospital on September 9, 2005.
When Saturday Champion visited the family house at 1, Eric Moore Street, Wemabod Estate Ikeja, last Wednesday the compound was deserted.
Investigations revealed that Bamidele Ogiale who livesd in the house with her step mother was killed by a gang suspected to be hired assassins.
Nevertheless, the ugly incident that led to Bamidele's death started some years back when she decided to move into her father's house in the Estate.
Her step mother, Mrs. Rose Ogiale who happens to be the last wife of the late Justice reportedly kicked against that decision. But Bamidele insisted that she must live in his father's house and of course packed into the house.
Since then the family had known no peace and about three months ago, Mrs. Rose Ogiale's daughter alleged that Bamidele's daughter snatched one of her boy friends. That we gathered actually led to a big fight in the family.
While the dust raised by the allegation was yet to settle Eru, Rose Ogiale's daughter again allegedly accused Bamidele's daughter, Bunmi of being caught red handed sleeping with her rich customs officer man friend.
And the rich customs officer we gathered has already assumed the status of a bread winner to Eru's family.
The officer was said to be responsible for paying Eru's school fees and even giving her flight money each time she was returning to the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, where she studies chemistry. Saturday Champion gathered, when Eru learnt that Bunmi had allegedly started to date her man friend she became furious.
She expressed her anger thus: "They said you have taken my boy friend and now you are sleeping with another of my man friend."
That was what a source close to that family told Saturday Champion.
At a point a Bamidele's daughter who is a student of Lagos State University (LASU) was nearly killed by Eru but was saved by people who heard her crying and came to rescue her.
The matter was however resolved but suddenly Eru's brother called Justus who has just finished his national youth service last year died.
When Justus died, his mother, Rose alleged that it was now the deceased Bamidele that killed him.
Interestingly Justus was said to be the most responsible child among Rose Ogiale's children.
However, the allegation was said to be baseless as autopsy report confirmed that Justus died of typhoid.
A source close to the family told our reporter that Justus died after he took ill.
"It was a mallam in that street who went to their house and saw him critically ill and raised an alarm. When he was rushed to the hospital the doctor said typhoid has destroyed his system."
Indeed, that was the controversy raging in the family till Friday September 9, 2005 when Bamidele was hacked down by suspected assassins.
Narrating what he knew about the incident Mr. Tayo Mofe who reported the incident to the police said "Bamidele was hale and hearty till 12 midnight of Thursday September 8, 2005.
"But the following morning we just heard that the woman was dead. People got to know because one guy called Idowu went there around 7 a.m to buy something but the woman was not yet out. The woman wakes up early everyday but that day nobody saw her.
"So, Idowu went to her house to ask why are you not yet out. While the guy was going one of her daughters signalled to him to come and see. That she did not know what was wrong.
The man now ran to see and the woman was almost dead. She was lying infront of her bathroom. She has bruises and water was poured on her body. At a close look there were bruises on her cheek, forehead and back.
‘I personally was the one that went to the police station and reported. Because everybody was scared. They were afraid that if they go police might decide to arrest them.
"And when everybody was shouting the woman (Rose) and her children were sitting down doing nothing. They pretended as if they didn't know anything about the situation. They didn't even come out to say sorry. So, police came and she was taken to hospital but she died."
Further investigation revealed that there was a man that slept in the house that night. We gathered that the man left very early in the morning through a small gate in the compound.
Lagos State Police spokesman, Mr. Olubode Ojajuni who confirmed the incident said Bamidele was alleged to have been beaten to a state of coma by Eru Ogiale and Rose Ogiale.
He further explained that policeman from MAN centre police station Ikeja rushed the victim to the hospital where she later died. Ojajuni said while the corpse has been deposited in a mortuary for autopsy the police are investigating the matter.
Bamidele is the first daughter of late Justice Ogiale who hailed from Delta State.
Bamidele was also reported to be a staunch member of Alliance for Democracy and went for the party's meeting the day before she died.