Acid attack: Accused charged with attempted murder, granted bail

David Sulaimon, who allegedly bathed his estranged fiancée, Chika Egbo, with acid in Igando, Lagos State, has been charged with attempted murder.

He was arraigned on two counts of attempted murder and “causing grievous bodily harm” at an Ebute-Meta Magistrate’s Court, Lagos a week ago.

The police stated in the charge sheet, a copy of which our correspondent obtained on Thursday, “That you (Sulaimon) on November 5 at Bakare Street, Ikotun, Lagos, bathed Chika Egbo and Sunny Daniel with liquid substance suspected to be acid, to wit; attempted murder and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 228 (1) of the Criminal Code Laws of Lagos 2011.”

Magistrate O. Olatunji granted him N500, 000 bail with two sureties in like sum.

The magistrate stated that the sureties must be blood relations and must present evidence of tax clearance.

The case was adjourned till December 20.

But, Egbo family lawyer, Mr. Nnabuike Edechime, has berated the police for neither informing him nor any member of the victim’s family that Sulaimon was going to be arraigned.

Edechime said, “Why did the policemen who investigated the case at the State Criminal Investigation Department not inform us? I was informed only after the court hearing.

“They could not even give us the copy of the charge sheet. I was directed to get it at the court.”

The lawyer also expressed surprise that Sulaimon was granted bail.

He said he would have tabled his concern before the magistrate if the police had informed him about the date of the arraignment.

Edechime said, “For this kind of charge, the defendant should not be granted bail, at least not on liberal terms.

“The victim (Chika) is still in danger. Right now, she is at the point of death. What if he (the accused) absconds? God forbid, what if the girl dies?”

Our correspondent visited the Burn Unit of the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, where Chika is receiving treatment, on Thursday but could not see her because she was being prepared for a second round of surgery.

She had undergone a surgery to remove the dead skin on her body last week .

Her father, Matthew, told PUNCH Metro that his only prayer is to see his daughter get better.But he said he was financially handicapped.

He said, “Even transporting myself here and there and eating is becoming very hard right now. But my relations have been really helpful. They are the ones who have been paying for her treatment.

“Chika has not been able to eat solid food. A pipe was passed through her to allow her breathe.”

Our correspondent also learnt that she had been feeding on liquid nutrient through a drip.

Chika, a student of the Enugu State College of Education, was allegedly bathed with acid by, Sulaimon on November 5.

Their relationship reportedly went sour after Chika gave birth to a girl said to be fathered by Sulaimon.

According to Chika’s father, Sulaimon invited her to Lagos from Enugu under the pretext that his mother wanted to see her and he poured the substance on her on their way to his mother’s home.

The okada rider (Daniel) who took both Sulaimon and Chika on his motorcycle before the alleged attack sustained some burns in the process. By Punch