Oluwatosin Ashunwo (L) stabbed to death by David Ogundele (R)
In a story that could be likened to a movie, a man has stabbed to death his crush while also severely injuring her mother.
According to Punch reports, 45-year-old David Ogundele, an engineer, who was deeply obsessed with 30-year-old Oluwatosin Ashinwo, stabbed her multiple times along with her mother, who was trying to ward off an attack on her daughter in a flat she rented at Tanke area of Ilorin, Kwara State
According to the story, Oluwatosin, who was a customer care executive with telecommunication company, MTN, had just been transferred from Kano to Kwara State when she met Ogundele.
While Ogundele had a massive crush on the young woman, she had other things on her mind. Ogundele is said to have tried to reached out to the young woman’s siblings with the hope of winning their approval and convincing their sister.
“My sister did not love him back and she did not hide it. He did everything to win her love but she just did not like him back,” one of Oluwatosin’s brothers narrated.
“At a time when I was in Ilorin at the end of last year, I visited my sister one evening when the man came around. I saw him a second time, two weeks after that in December. I did not ask my sister about him because I knew she was old enough to handle her affairs. But it was clear my sister did not like him.
“My sister used to tell me that he works at Omu Aran. She said the man would always pester her that he wanted to marry her.
“There had been pressure from my mother and other family members for her to get married but she always liked to handle her issues herself. She was the one who sponsored my university education. She was very hardworking. Even apart from her MTN work, she was still selling shoes and bags on the side.
Soon, Ogundele started to send messages to Oluwatosin’s brothers. The screen capture of one of such messages shown our correspondent, reads, “Your sister is giving me a serious headache. I don’t know what to do. I love her so much but…Join me in prayers that God should soften her heart.”
In another text message he sent to one of the brothers, Ogundele wrote, “I am at the health centre now. It is your sister’s behaviour that landed me there o. Always thinking (sic) I covet your prayers for survival. If I die, I die for love. You can’t understand.”
At this point, the brothers reached the conclusion that the man was terribly obsessed with their sister, who insisted that she was never going to get into a relationship with or marry him.
Saturday PUNCH learnt that it became clear that Oluwatosin’s mind was made up when Ogundele undertook the most unexpected and shocking step of organising a big birthday party for the young woman when she clocked 30 in February. Apart from organising the birthday, he bought a Toyota Matrix as a birthday gift.
As the birthday ceremony started, Ogundele reportedly put a call across to Oluwatosin to come. She never showed up.
“If my sister had accepted the gift, it would have been the same as accepting his proposal. He felt so bad about it,” the deceased’s brother said.
This was said to have infuriated Ogundele, whom they said felt ashamed in the eyes of the guests he had invited to the party.
Oluwatosin’s brothers said her resolve was more affirmed because she had learnt that Ogundele was married already.
Ogundele showed up and an argument ensued, during which Oluwatosin insisted the man must leave her house. But rather than leave, in anger, he ran into the kitchen and grabbed a knife.
By the time, he was done, the two women, Oluwatosin, and her mother, who tried to stop the fight, had both been stabbed multiple times.
It was learnt that Ogundele locked his victims in the room, thinking that they were both dead.
In a shocking conversation Punch correspondent struck with the alleged killer (Ogundele) on WhatsApp, he simply rationalised his act by saying “I was bewitched.”
Asked if Oluwatosin provoked him, he said, “It is well. What can I do now? I was bewitched. How would I attack a lady I claim to love?”
The spokesperson for the Kwara State Police Command, Mr. Ajayi Okasanmi, confirmed that the police are on the trail of the suspect.
Investigators have visited a private university where Ogundele is said to work, but his colleagues said they had not seen nor heard from him since the day before the incident.
The police have called for any information that may help to track down the suspect as he continues to stay in hiding.