A 46-year-old man, Livinus Aniegbunam Okoh, has been arraigned before the Magistrate Court 3, Enugu East Magisterial District, for allegedly killing his wife, Mrs. Onyinyechi Okoh, in Amuri, Nkanu West Local Government Area of Enugu State.
The suspect was brought before Magistrate Uche Jideofor in the case titled Commissioner of Police vs. Livinus Aniegbunam Okoh (Charge No. CME/821C/2025).
The prosecution was led by C.O. Ugwu, Esq. and A.C. Amalu, Esq.
According to the charge sheet, the incident occurred on October 8, 2025, around 4:00 a.m., when the defendant allegedly attacked his wife with an axe, striking her on the lower jaw, which resulted in her death.
The charge reads:
“That you, Livinus Aniegbunam Okoh ‘m’, on the 8th day of October, 2025, at about 0400 hours, at Umuedum Amuri in Nkanu West Local Government Area of Enugu State, within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, did unlawfully kill one Onyinye Okoh ‘f’, aged 46 years, by hitting her with an axe on her lower jaw, which led to her death, thereby committing an offence punishable under Section 274 (1) of the Criminal Code, Cap 30, Vol. II, Revised Laws of Enugu State of Nigeria.”
The defendant did not take a plea, as the Magistrate ruled that the court lacked jurisdiction to entertain the case.
He was subsequently remanded at the Enugu Correctional Centre, pending legal advice from the Department of Public Prosecution (DPP).
Magistrate Jideofor ordered that the case file be transferred to the Enugu State Ministry of Justice for further review and adjourned the matter to December 17, 2025.
Reacting to the incident, the Enugu State Commissioner for Children, Gender Affairs, and Social Development, Mrs. Ngozi Enih, condemned the killing, describing it as “a grievous act that must not go unpunished.”
She said: “The murder of Mrs. Okoh is both tragic and unacceptable. The Ministry is monitoring the case closely to ensure justice is served in accordance with the law.”
Mrs. Enih reaffirmed the state government’s zero-tolerance policy on domestic violence and urged residents to report all forms of abuse to relevant authorities.
“We must all speak up against gender-based violence. Silence only empowers the perpetrators,” she added.
