Reflections: How a Yoruba lawyer was shot in
1923
The shooting of a Lagos Lawyer, Moronfolu Abayomi at the Tinubu Square, Lagos Court House on August 25th, 1923.
In 1923, Duro Delphonso, a Lagos “big boy” from the popular and respected Delphonso family was accused of attempting to defraud an insurance company.
It became a legal tussle between Delphonso and the Insurance Company. The Insurance Company hired a young and vibrant Lawyer, Moronfolu Abayomi as their counsel.
As the case proceeded, Abayomi was able to prove beyond reasonable doubt that Delphonso committed arson on his home and business in order to defraud the Insurance Company.
On August 25, 1923, while Delphonso was being led out of the Tinubu Court House obviously to begin his prison sentence, he had smuggled a revolver into the court room, he shot Abayomi with the gun and turned the same gun and shot himself.
Abayomi died from excess blood he lost while being moved to a hospital. The bullet penetrated his lungs as the coroner’s inquest established.
Delphonso was hospitalized, he refused to be treated of the gunshot wounds and finally died on the 31st of August, 1923.
Abayomi was the first husband of Lady Oyinkan Abayomi, their marriage was barely 3 months old when he was killed. Seven years after, Oyinkan was remarried to Dr. Kofoworola Abayomi, who bore the same surname with her late husband.
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