Mr Samuel Chukwu, who was accused of beating his wife, 24-year-old (not 25-year-old) Jessica Olua Chukwu, to death, has denied the claim, saying it is a false narrative to tarnish his image.
Mr Chukwu is a forensic auditor who hails from Amaokwe Item in Bende LGA of Abia State.
He said the wife died as a result of the alleged negligence and deceit of the mother-in-law in depriving the daughter Jessica Olua of proper prenatal care during pregnancy labour and delivery.
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Jessica Olua Chukwu was said to have passed away in Aba during childbirth as a result of complications of the placenta only, arising from poor medical watch during the period of her pregnancy labour and child delivery
Speaking with ABN TV, Mr. Chukwu, who was married to his wife in March 2023, said there has not been any form of spousal abuse in their union.
Narrating what happened, Mr. Chukwu who resides in Lagos said immediately after their marriage, he took his wife along with him to Lagos and even invited her mum on January 2024 to stay with them to look after her during her first and second trimesters.
According to him, when she was taken in, he registered her at a renowned medical centre in Lagos, where she was undergoing antenatal care with clinical attention.
He claimed to have paid in full throughout her pregnancy and antenatal period along with adequate care he gave her.
He narrated that a point, Jessica’s mother sometime in May 2024 before her return trip to Aba where she lives, demanded that her daughter be brought home, when the pregnancy was at its 7th month (which fell on June 2024) so that she could take adequate care of her.
Mr. Chukwu said he was reluctant to let her embark on the journey to Aba to meet her mother, but later obliged and supported the request by making all necessary arrangements and even accompanied her to the inlaw’s house in Aba. The journey was made through GUO Jibowu branch transport service. The journey was made on 28 June 2024.
While she was in Aba, he said he ensured that he took care of her by providing the basic things she needed. She stayed in Aba within the period of 28 June 2024 until 21 August 2024.
“I sent feeding money monthly, amounting to ₦47,000, which can be verified through bank statements. I also sent toiletries and body health products in bulk from Lagos,” he explained, emphasizing his commitment to his wife even while she was at her mother’s house for child delivery.
TRAGIC CHILDBIRTH
On August 21, 2024, Jessica entered into labour as her due time for delivery of her child had come. However, it was not at the hospital, but at her mother’s home. Even though I sent N25,000 to Jessica Olua as a transport allowance to convey her to where she would deliver her child. Due to the deceit and negligence of my mother-in-law, both she and Jessica Olua stayed back at home for delivery.
Complications, however, arose as reports had it that the baby’s placenta refused to come out.
According to Mr. Chukwu, his wife Jessica, had not disclosed that she was in active labour throughout their phone conversations the previous night, which was 20 August 2024. Apparently, this was done to conceal their intention of not utilising the transport allowance for the intended purpose.
He was surprised to hear that she was dead shortly after delivery. This was the only information he received from his inlaws
He insisted that he had no quarrel with the wife and could not have been beating her from Lagos while she was in Aba from the month of June to August.
“All our communication before her death showed no signs of conflict or distress. I have WhatsApp chats and call logs as evidence, and they will be presented in court,” he said.
“Jessica and I had a peaceful relationship. There were no issues of violence or abuse (you may verify this from the tenants where I reside in Lagos). My wife’s passing was a tragic medical event, not a result of my foul play,” he maintained.
He wondered why an autopsy was not requested and conducted by his inlaws before her burial.
Following Jessica’s death, Mr. Chukwu said he travelled to Aba to seek answers to the circumstances surrounding his wife’s death.
He met with hostility as the family of his late wife attacked him and his brother. “My in-laws attacked me and my brother. I sustained various degrees of wound, including profuse bleeding on the face, dislocation on the leg, and swollen skull. It was the Rapid Response Squad, Eziama division of the police who were alerted, and they intervened in rescuing us from what could be described as a near-death experience. Despite the pain of losing my wife, I have been accused of unfounded crimes,” he recounted.
After the tragic incident, Samuel and his brother went and informed the CPS Aba division of the situation and registered the case of attempted murder on Samuel Chukwu with pictorial evidence. It was the DPO who issued a police report for Samuel Chukwu to be treated at the hospital of his choice.
Mr. Chukwu has urged members of the public to ignore the narrative that he killed his wife, insisting that the allegation is false and unfounded.
He said his lawyer Chief Empero Gabriel Ogbonna & Co is gathering evidence, including medical reports from the hospitals where Jessica had her routine medical checkups, antenatal bookings and clinical investigations in Lagos, financial records, and communication logs, to present during court proceedings to prove his innocence.
“This loss has been devastating for me and my family. I loved my wife and invested in her happiness, health, education, personal development, and well-being. (I have all the bank statements proof to back up these claims)These accusations are not only false but also hurtful,” he stated.
