Murder accused claims witnesses lying under oath

A Nigerian man who denies murdering his Jamaican his wife with a lump hammer at a Dublin apartment has accused other witnesses of lying under oath and said the prosecuting barrister knew that he had nothing to do with the killing. He also accused the prosecuting barrister of coaching witnesses.

When Pauline Walley SC, prosecuting put it to Goodwill Udechukwu that his wife Natasha Gray intended to tell him to leave the apartment where they were staying he said: “Your witnesses are all liars, we’ve been here before, they’ve lied before and they’ll lie again.”

Asked who did murder his wife he then claimed: “All of them.”

He told her: “You the prosecutor know. Godwill has nothing to do with this allegation and you know it.”

Goodwill Udechukwu (aged 32) with a previous address at Royal Canal View, Royal Canal Bank, Phibsboro denies murdering Natasha Gray (aged 25) at the same address on Tuesday February 18th 2003. Today is his third day in the witness box.

The accused man refers to himself as 'Godwill'.

When he was asked about a claim by one witness, Sharon Facey, who said she saw Mr Udechukwu going into a bedroom with Ms Gray on the day she died he said the last time he was in the house was the Saturday they locked him out.

He says the last time he saw his wife was when he dropped her to the bus that day.

He then said he had seen Ms Walley coaching witnesses in the trial. He said: “You have not been fair. You know you that Godwill is innocent. Stop hurting me.”

He said the victim’s sister Nicola Curtis had given evidence in the trial in which she had denied speaking to his friend Thomas and had come back after taking a break to say something different.

Ms Walley then accused him of creating “some type of side show” so he would not have to go back to the events in question.

The accused said he had given his consent to come back to Ireland from England to face trial. “Is this a crime?” he asked.

He then complained he was not feeling well. He also claimed the only information published in the media about the trial was what “your truth police are giving to the media”.

The trial continues before Mr Justice Kevin O’Higgins.