Cynthia Osokogu: I Proposed To Her Before Her Death

Cynthia Osokogwu
Okwumo Nwabufo, first defendant in the ongoing
trial of the murder of Cynthia Osokogwu,yesterday
told a Lagos High Court sitting in Igbosere that they
were lovers and were about getting married before
her death.

Nwabufo, who was led in evidence by his counsel
Chris Opara, said he and the deceased met at
Shoprite in Lekki, in 2011 where he went for
shopping, while she was also shopping at a fashion
shop in Shoprite, contrary to the allegations that
they met on facebook.
The defendant said when he met her, she was
making enquires so he introduced himself to her and
she did the same, adding that he gave her his card
and she gave him her phone number.
He also stated that the deceased told him about
herself and they exchanged addresses and became
very close from thence.
The defendant, who claimed to be a car dealer and
also a part-time undergraduate student at the
University of Lagos studying accounting, said he
paid the deceased a visit when he went to Abuja
and he invited her to where he lodged at Satellite
Suit Hotel located at Bwari Area Council of Abuja.
Nwabufo, said from that moment they became very
close and he started assisting her as a close friend.
“The late Cynthia was my girlfriend; we were close
as the way lovers are before they get married. She
used to visit me often in Lagos. She has been to my
house up to five times. I was very helpful to her
doing everything a boyfriend does for his girlfriend
like monetary support, moral support and advising
her always.
"I promised her that I would marry her and she
accepted but told me it is still early that I should
wait till Christmas when
I would visit her parents in Delta State. Everything
about us was going well till the day I heard about
her death. I was so devastated but the police didn't
give me the chance to express my feelings and they
made me look like a murderer.”
He further told the court that he received a call
from the deceased on July 21 2012, that she would
be in Lagos at Cosmilla Hotel Lake View Estate,
Festac Town, in Lagos and that he should come over
to see her with the money I got from selling her
Black berry phone.
According to the defendant, he decided to go to the
hotel with the second defendant: “When I got there,
I asked if I could see the deceased.” The
receptionist asked him for her room number, which
he could not provide.
“I tried calling her but it wasn't connecting. I left
the hotel for my house.
Continuing, he told the Judge that on August 1,
2012, he was in his house around 1am, with one of
his cousins who is a car dealer, Obiorah and friend
Odinaka who was about traveling to South Africa
when he heard a loud noise and the police came into
his sitting room to arrest him.
During cross examination by the Attorney General
of Lagos state Ade Ipaye, the defendant told the
court that he did not meet the late Cynthia on
facebook as he does not have a facebook account.
He denied ever knowing about Ryhophnol nor did he
put it into Cynthia’s drink. “I came across the drug
during this trial, I don't know how it looks. It is a
fabricated allegation against me. Cynthia is my
girlfriend whom I love. I can never think of such
and I can't do such to any human being. I didn't
administer any drug on her, it was the police that
told me to accept and to put it in writing and to
claim that the pharmacist sold it to me". He said
The matter was adjourned till December 12 for
continuation of trial.