Eagles ex-player docked for alleged wife battery in Lagos

Former Super Eagles player, Godwin Okpara, was yesterday arraigned before a Lagos Magistrate’s Court sitting in Ikeja, for allegedly beating his wife, Linda Oladoyinbo Opara. The 43-year-old ex-footballer was docked before Magistrate B.O. Osunsanmi on a one-count charge of assault and wife battery.

The prosecutor, Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) S. Imhonwa told the court that the defendant sometime in August 2016 at their residence at 6/8 Oduduwa Street, GRA Ikeja Lagos, unlawfully assaulted his wife of 25 years by flogging her with sticks and other dangerous weapons.

He further said that the defendant was said to have on different occasions battered his wife, causing her body injury. According to him, the offences were contrary to Section 173 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State 2015.

The defendant, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge preferred against him and his counsel, Malaki Odo, prayed the court to grant him bail, adding that he is a responsible citizen of Nigeria.

Magistrate Osunsanmi granted him bail in the sum of N50,000 with two sureties and adjourned the matter till January 1, 2018.Early this year, a video showing the former footballer publicly beating his wife went viral. It would be recalled that in August 2005, Okpara was arrested by French police on charges of raping his 13-year-old adopted daughter. He was found guilty and imprisoned in June 2007 for 10 years.