*Threatens to commit suicide ...compelled by father, 90, friends to show up

Lekan Shonde, the man who allegedly killed his wife last Thursday during an argument at their Egbeda abode in Lagos, has denied culpability, insisting rather that his wife was hypertensive. The Kwara State born suspect turned himself in to the Police, yesterday, four days after going into hiding. He maintained that his wife was his most priced possession, adding that death was his last intention for her. Vanguard reliably gathered that pressure from Lekan's 90- year-old father and some friends compelled him to show up at the Ikeja office of the Commander, Rapid Response Squad,RRS, Tunji Disu, at about 1p.m. Thereafter, he was taken to the Lagos State Police Command headquarters, Ikeja at about 2.10p.m.

Clad in a sky blue shirt and a black pair of trousers, Lekan said immediately he alighted from the RRS van: "I wish death would take me right now." Thereafter, he called his father on the phone, informing him in Yoruba that he had finally shown up at the Police command as instructed. Suicide attempt Before he turned himself in, report had it that he attempted to flee to the Benin Republic,where he hoped to proceed to Ghana, but all his moves were reportedly trailed by the Police, until he was forced to make a U-turn from Ondo State.

While in hiding, Lekan sent a message via WhatsApp to one of his friends (names withheld) announcing his intention to commit suicide, in order to end the whole matter. The conversation dated May 7, 2016 read: "I want to die. Pls help me, I can't face the Police or cell, they will kill me." After much persuasion from the friend, Lekan finally replied same day, saying "Ok, I will see you tomorrow (Sunday)" But he never showed up. Lekan, however, sent another text, yesterday morning, to this same friend saying, "Morning, Senior Sunday. Thanks for everything you have done. I want to go to the CP office now. You are the only one that advised me not to kill myself. I will respect you till I die."

'I never killed my wife' Late Ronke Shonde with her alleged killer husband during their 'sweet' days However, during his conversation with his friend, who was present at the command with another friend, Mr. Gbenga Soloki, Lekan denied having any hand in his late wife's death. Although he admitted that there was a quarrel between them a day before she died over infidelity on the part of his late wife; he maintained that he had nothing to do with her death. According to him: "The cause of the quarrel was over infidelity. I over-heard her discussing on phone with one Kayode, who was her boss and lover. "I never killed my wife. We had a normal quarrel after she owned up that she had a man friend. We didn't talk over-night.

"She held my legs begging, as I was leaving the house that morning. And I pushed her away. As I left the house my son bolted the door behind me. "Later, our nanny called to alert me of what had happened. I immediately called my landlady's daughter, who confirmed that my wife was dead. As I was rushing back home, neighbours called to inform me that policemen were there that I should run away. That was why I ran away.

"I loved my wife, all my accounts are in her name. I bought her two cars and would not have wished for a better person as a wife. I did not kill her. She was hypertensive. "I never spoke with any journalist until now. The media (not Vanguard ) misquoted me." He further disclosed that while in hiding, he contacted his late wife's alleged lover to inform him of the trouble he had put his entire family into . He said: "I called Kayode and said 'hope you have succeeded in ruining my marriage,' and he apologized to me" Demands for forensic investigation Friend of the suspect, Gbenga Soloki, said: "When we got the information, as law abiding citizens, we asked him to come out of hiding. I know him as a gentle man . His account proved it, but unfortunately, his wife is not alive to state her side of the story."

Meanwhile, the Manager Public and Government Affair, Mobil Oil, Akin Fatunke, has denied that Lekan Shonde ever worked with the organisation. "It's obviously an error, as we don't have any member of staff by name Lekan Shonde in our Apapa depot.