Lagos Trial Begins for Killaboi in Connection with Girlfriend's Death; Uncle Shares Disturbing Details on Body Discovery

The court proceedings against Benjamin Best Nnayereugo, popularly referred to as Killaboi, began on March 4 at the Lagos High Court, situated in Igbosere, Lagos Island. He is accused of murdering his girlfriend, Augusta Onuwabhagbe.

According to reports from Channels TV, the first witness for the prosecution, Mr. Reginald Okonye, who is the uncle of the deceased, recounted the unsettling moment the family discovered her body in her boyfriend's house located in Ajah, Lagos.

During his testimony, led by Dr. Babajide Martins, the Lagos State Director of Public Prosecutions, Mr. Okonye informed Justice Ibironke Harrison that for a period of two to three days in July 2023, Augusta had been unresponsive to phone calls, although she occasionally replied to messages from her family. This silence triggered concern among the family, leading them to enlist the help of her roommate from Lead City University, Ibadan, to trace her whereabouts to Killaboi's home in Ajah.

In his own words, Mr. Okonye stated, "My name is Reginald Okonye. I serve as the Regional Head of Sales for Siemens Energy in West and Central Africa. Augusta was my niece, and her mother is my eldest sister. I had only met the defendant once before her tragic death, making it difficult for me to recognize him initially, but his image rapidly spread through the media post- incident."

He recounted how Augusta's mother visited him one day expressing her worry since Augusta, who usually called every morning, had not been in touch for several days. They had communicated via WhatsApp, but she did not answer calls, which heightened their anxiety.

The uncle continued, detailing their visit to her boyfriend’s home where her body was eventually found. He highlighted that Augusta's mother had reached out to her close friend, Oyindamola, who suggested they check on Augusta personally, knowing she lived with her boyfriend. With the permission of a security personnel, they attempted to gain entry into the property located at 24a, Abiola Akpoyin Street, Oral Estate, Ikota, Ajah, Lagos.

"We discovered Augusta's vehicle parked outside, and upon calling her name, there was no response," he explained.

Elaborating on their search, Mr. Okonye expressed the difficulties they faced when they were initially denied access to the premises. Eventually, they sought assistance from the police at Ajah station to facilitate entry. After dispatching police officers to assist with their entrance, they found themselves needing a ladder to access through an open window to confirm their worst fears.

Upon reaching the room, the uncle described the traumatic moment he identified Augusta's body amid what appeared to be a pool of blood. He chose to remain calm to avoid alarming his sister and later communicated their grave findings to the police around 9 PM.

Reginald also mentioned that following the haunting discovery, he and his sister informed the police and made arrangements for the corpse to be taken to the morgue.

After the disturbing testimony, the Director of Public Prosecutions presented photographic evidence of the crime scene and the victim's remains for the court's examination. The defense lawyer, Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Marcel Oru, opted to reserve objections regarding the evidence for future considerations.

With the absence of any objections, the court accepted the photographs as evidence before concluding the day's proceedings. Outside the courtroom, correctional officers aided the defendant in avoiding media attention as he exited.

Justice Harrison has postponed the hearing until March 5, where Augusta's mother is anticipated to provide her testimony.