KILLABOI TRIAL: POLICE INSPECTOR TELLS COURT HOW AUGUSTA’S BODY WAS FOUND IN BOYFRIEND’S HOUSE

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By Aishat Momoh. O.

A police inspector attached to Ajah Police Station, Lagos, has narrated before the Federal High Court sitting how the decomposing body of 21-year-old Augusta Onuwagbagbe was discovered inside the residence of her boyfriend, Benjamin Best Nnayereugo, popularly known as Killaboi.

The witness, Inspector Odunayo Oloye, testified before Justice Ibironke Harrison in the ongoing murder trial of Nnayereugo.

Led in evidence by the prosecution counsel, Adebayo Araba, Oloye told the court that the case began on July 15, 2023, after a complaint was lodged by Augusta’s mother, Cecilia Onuwagbagbe.

According to the witness, the deceased’s mother reported that her daughter, a student of Lead City University, Ibadan, had a disagreement with her boyfriend on July 11, 2023.

Oloye said Cecilia informed police that she had intervened to settle the dispute but later lost communication with both Augusta and Nnayereugo.

After repeated efforts to reach them failed, Augusta’s roommate reportedly directed the family to Nnayereugo’s residence at Oral Estate in the Ajah area of Lagos.

The witness said Augusta’s mother noticed her daughter’s car parked at the premises and subsequently reported the matter to Ajah Police Station.

“She came with her brother and her daughter’s friend. The complaint was received and I was detailed as the Investigating Police Officer,” Oloye told the court.

According to the inspector, after taking a statement from the complainant, she proceeded to the estate with the family and received support from estate security personnel.

“On getting there, we saw that an upstairs window was widely opened and the air conditioner was on.

“I requested a ladder, climbed it and peeped through the window. Through the corridor, I started perceiving a foul odour.

“I climbed further and entered the veranda. While perceiving the odour, I looked inside and saw the lifeless body of a lady whom I identified from the photograph earlier shown to me by the mother as Augusta,” she said.

The witness stated that she advised Augusta’s mother and friend to remain outside before asking Augusta’s uncle to confirm what she had seen.

She said after confirmation, she returned to the station to brief the Divisional Police Officer and later revisited the scene with officers to evacuate the body.

During the exercise, Oloye said investigators recovered a handwritten note and a pen from the scene.

“I read the note and discovered it was related to the case, so I recovered it as evidence. I also recovered the deceased’s vehicle,” she said.

She added that Augusta’s remains were deposited at Yaba Mortuary before the matter was transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department, Panti, on July 18, 2023.

The witness also told the court that based on her observation, it appeared a sharp object had been used on the deceased’s stomach.

During proceedings, the prosecution tendered the handwritten note as evidence.

Although defence counsel Marcel Oru objected, alleging that the note had been altered, Justice Harrison admitted the document and its contents as Exhibits P5 and P5A.

Under cross-examination, the witness maintained key aspects of her testimony, including that she personally climbed the ladder first and discovered the body during the initial visit to the residence.

She also confirmed she did not bring any autopsy-related documents to court and was unaware whether an autopsy report had been issued.

Following her testimony, the prosecution closed its case.

Justice Harrison adjourned the matter until July 8 and 9, 2026, for continuation of trial.