Timileyin Ajayi, suspected murderer of 24-year-old National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) member Salome Adaidu, has pleaded not guilty to a charge of culpable homicide punishable by death.
He was arraigned on Monday before Justice Simon Aboki at the High Court of Justice in Lafia, Nasarawa State.
Ajayi, 32, is accused of murdering and dismembering Salome at his residence in the Papalana area of New Karshi, Karu Local Government Area, on January 12, 2025.
Salome, who was serving with Nicon Insurance in Abuja, reportedly visited Ajayi when the tragic incident occurred.
Police said the suspect was caught trying to dispose of Salome’s head after allegedly killing her. Weapons purportedly used in the crime, including a knife and machetes, were recovered and displayed during his arrest.
Despite his earlier confession to the crime in an interview, where he admitted to killing Salome after discovering alleged infidelity, Ajayi maintained his innocence in court.
“I killed her because we don’t have each other all the time. It wasn’t planned,” he had previously told Channels Television, adding that he acted impulsively after reading chats on her phone.
In the interview, Ajayi also expressed no remorse, saying, “I don’t have any regrets because life is reciprocal. If you do something to someone, you have to understand what that person is going through.”
The court has yet to set a date for the continuation of the trial.
