Published 21st Dec, 2021

By Emmanuel Uti

Abel Charles, a pastor based in Kaduna, has accused Sylvester Folorunsho of strangling Winifred Ashuli, his 31-year-old lover.

Charles, who is Winifred’s cousin, alleged that Folorunsho killed her on Thursday when she went to visit him in his house in Dutse, Ungwan Boro, Kaduna. During the visit, she received a call from her ex-boyfriend, and this riled up Folorunsho, who beat her and then strangled her.

“I could not say what transpired between them before he killed her, but what instigated the issue was that she picked up a call from her ex. When we saw her corpse, we saw an imprint of Folorunsho’s hands on her neck,” Charles told FIJ.

Charles said Folorunsho’s neighbours told his family they heard Winifred and Folorunsho quarrel between 2 and 3 pm. By 4 pm, Folorunsho called Winifred’s younger sister to inform her that her sister had passed out.

“I think when he beat her and she slumped, he always knew what to do. Maybe to pour water on her or something. But this time, when she fell to the ground, he did not do anything to revive her. He just called her younger sister, who is married, to tell her something bad had happened,” he said.

“Her sister immediately told her husband and they rushed to Folorunsho’s house, picked her body up and took her to the mega hospital around. They did not know whether she was dead or alive.”

A nurse at a mega hospital in Kaduna examined Winifred and told her sister’s husband that she was likely dead. He then advised him to keep it a secret so as not to scare Folorunsho, who might run away. Thereafter, the nurse advised him to go to Saint Gerald Hospital for further investigation.

“Saint Gerald confirmed that she was dead. It was the sister’s husband who called everyone in the family to inform them of her death. On hearing the news, we informed the police, and they came to his house to arrest him,” he said.

After the incident, Folorunsho’s father showed up. According to Charles, the father said he had neither seen nor heard from his son in the previous seven years. He only knew he resided in Kaduna.

A member of Folorunsho’s father’s church who also resides close to Charles’ area told him that he had always known Folorunsho as a married man with kids.

“All the while, he disguised himself as a single man, but we confirmed that he had been married. Even the wife admitted that he used to beat her. When we posted it on social media, a girl reached out to us to say he used to beat her while they dated,” Charles told FIJ.

“We learnt that when Folorunsho was a teacher, he was violent. He beat a student until he defecated on his body.”

Before now, Folorunsho had inflicted multiple injuries on Winifred, but she would always not open up.

“The mother even spoke to him on the phone at some point, pleading with him not to beat her daughter again, but he told her ‘She no dey hear word,'” he said.

Charles said although the case had been transferred to the Kaduna police headquarters, the family is demanding justice for their daughter.

FIJ placed several calls to Muri Musa, the Kaduna State Commissioner of Police, but he did not answer them. At press time, he had also not responded to a text sent to his phone.

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