Ex-Nigeria Super Eagles Footballer, Godwin Okpara, was on Thursday arraigned by Ikeja Magistrates Court, Lagos, for beating his wife, Linda Oladoyinbo Opara.
Okpara, 43, was arraigned before Magistrates B.O Osunsanmi on a one-count charge of assault and wife battery.
The prosecutor, ASP S.Imhonwa, told the court that the defendant, sometimes in August 2016 at their residence at No 6, 8 Oduduwa Street in GRA, Ikeja, Lagos, unlawfully assaulted his wife of 25 years by flogging her with sticks and other dangerous weapons.
Okpara was also accused to have on different occasions battered his wife, causing her body injury.
The prosecutor further informed the court that the offence committed by the ex-super Eagle player is contrary to Section 173 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State 2015.
A video showing the former Eagles star publicly beating his wife went viral earlier in the year.
The one-count charge reads: “That you Godwin Okpara sometime in August 2016, at No. 6/8 Oduduwa Street, GRA, Ikeja, Lagos, in the Ikeja magisterial district, unlawfully assaulted and injured Linda Oladoyinbo by flogging her with stick and other weapons thereby committed an offence contrary to section 173 C, 17 Vol. 3 of the criminal laws of Lagos State 2015.”
The ex-Super Eagles star, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge and was granted bail in the sum of N50,000 with two sureties.
Magistrate Osunsanmi said the sureties must be workers of reputable organisations.
Okpara was arrested by French Police in August 2005 on charges of allegedly raping his 13-year-old adopted daughter. He was found guilty and imprisoned in June 2007 for 10 years.
His wife, Linda, was also sentenced to 15 years in jail for torturing the same person. They have both served their prison terms.
