Famous wrestling champion, Uti arraigned for beating wife to death

A 55-year-old famous wrestling champion, John Eke Uti, popularly known as Power Uti, was arraigned before an Ebute-Metta Magistrates’ Court, Lagos State, for allegedly beating his 38-year-old wife, Toyin to death.
Uti, who pleaded not guilty, was docked on a two-count charge of murder and disrespect of corpse.
However, the police prosecutor, Jimah Iseghede, told the court that the accused committed the offence on October 10 at No. 17, Oremeji Street, Ilupeju, Lagos.
Iseghedee said that the accused had beaten his wife, Toyin to death and abandoned the corpse in a room to decompose.
Iseghedee said: "Uti was first taken to Ilupeju Police Station before being transferred to the State Criminal Investigations and Intelligence Department for further investigation.”
The prosecutor further said that the offences contravened Sections 165(a) and 223 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015
However, Magistrate Bola Folarin-Williams, after examining the case file, said there was nothing in the accused’s statement and in the police investigations to show that the accused killed his wife.
Folarin-Williams, on those grounds, quashed the remand application brought by the police.
She, thereafter, admitted the accused to a bail in the sum of N500, 000 with two responsible sureties in like sum.
She said that the sureties must be blood relations and also work with reputable organisations.
She also directed that the case file be duplicated and a copy forwarded to the State Director of Public Prosecutions (DPPs) for legal advice.