Nigerian man beats his wife to death in the UK using a skateboard

Olubunmi Abodunde, a Nigerian, is accused of killing his wife Taiwo by beating her with a skateboard in their UK home on Exning Road in Newmarket, Suffolk.

The case was brought before the court as police conducted many investigations into 48-year-old Abodunde’s allegations of abusing his wife Taiwo at home in the months before to her murder.

The Telegraph claims that on November 27, 2023, when police were summoned to the couple’s home, they discovered that their 41-year-old wife had a lip injury and that the husband had been arrested.

Abodunde was released on police bail from the Bury St. Edmunds police station, subject to his staying away from his residence on Exning Road in Newmarket, Suffolk, according to information presented before Ipswich Crown Court.

But the day after, he returned home to supposedly pick up his cell phone soon after 9 am, having worked a night shift at Tesco.

According to the report, the wife was supposed to have a follow-up visit with two police officers at 9:20 am regarding the domestic dispute that had occurred the day before.

They heard banging sounds while they were waiting outside, but they didn’t force their way inside until 9.55 am, when they were given clearance by senior police to do so.

The officers found Mrs Abodunde, who was a healthcare assistant, dead near the front door after she had been beaten around the head with her son’s skateboard. 

The police added that she had also been strangled and stamped on.

Simon Spence KC, for the prosecution, said that the sound of banging in the house was likely to have been Abodunde continuing to attack his wife while she was unconscious or dead.

It was reported that the Nigerian man denied murder, but changed his plea to guilty at the start of his trial, and was remanded in custody before being sentenced on May 9.

The court was told how Mrs Abodunde had suffered “catastrophic injuries”. A pathologist told the court that the injuries to her neck suggested she had been strangled and stamped on, and she had broken ribs.

The blows to her head were apparently so hard that the skateboard was damaged in the attack, the court was told.

Mr Spence added that previous reports of domestic violence at the couple’s home were “not of the most significant kind”.

Asked by Judge Martyn Levett for his plea, Abodunde, who moved to the UK with his wife and their three children in 2022, said: “I am guilty, sir.”

Abodunde’s history of jealousy

The court was told that Abodunde had a history of jealousy throughout their marriage and had accused his wife of having affairs, adding that the couple had also argued about bills.

Mrs Abodunde got a job at a care home in Cambridge but her husband, who had trained as a civil engineer, worked at Tesco and Wickes as he was unable to find work in his profession.

She had gone to work on the night of Nov 27 and returned home the next morning to find her husband in the house, the court was told.

Abodunde was arrested at the scene and taken to hospital “because he appeared to have some sort of mental episode”, said Mr Spence.

He claimed in a police statement, “My wife has subjected me to physical abuse for a number of years.

“On November 28 we got into an argument, she ran at me with a knife, I grabbed the knife and cut my hand. I was defending myself.”

But the court heard that although there was a cut on his hand, police found no knife in the vicinity of his wife’s body.

Nneka Akudolu KC, for the defence, said Abodunde’s behaviour was “highly unusual”.

She added, “This level of violence was completely out of character for him and the only reasonable explanation to him is the medication he was taking impacted his behaviour.”

But Ms Akudolu said that no medical evidence would be provided to support this.

Judge Levett warned Abodunde that the only possible sentence was one of life imprisonment.

Det Insp Dan Connick, of Suffolk Constabulary, said after the hearing: “This was an awful attack on a woman that has had a lasting impact on the community and, most importantly, on the victim’s family.

“We are pleased that Taiwo’s family will no longer have to go through the pain of a trial.

“Our thoughts remain with Taiwo’s family and friends and hope this result will bring some small comfort to them.”

A spokesman for the Independent Office for Police Conduct said, “We have established that officers came into contact with Taiwo Abodunde on Nov 27 before she was tragically found dead at her address the next day by officers.

“In April 2024, we advised two Suffolk officers that they are under investigation for potential breaches of the police standards of professional behaviour at the level of gross misconduct.

“We advised another officer that they are under investigation at the level of misconduct. This does not mean disciplinary proceedings will necessarily follow.

“Our investigation remains ongoing,” the spokesman added