Life for firebomb lawyer

The judge has called for an inquiry

A solicitor who firebombed his estranged wife's home and then stabbed her as she tried to get away, has been jailed for life.

Tokunba Okunola, 43, claimed he was under a voodoo curse when he attacked Diane Ward at the former marital home in Streatham, south London, in July last year.

After the verdict, the jury was told told that Okunola had been jailed for life at the Old Bailey in 1977, when he was 17, for stabbing a man to death.

Brendan Kelly, prosecuting, said Okunola had stabbed Stephen Scott three times in the chest and back in a revenge attack at a dance hall.

Broke injunction

The court was told Okunola, who had denied attempted murder, and Ms Ward married in 1991 and had three children but in 2000 he told them he was leaving after a woman he was having an affair with became pregnant.

Mr Kelly said: "She sought legal advice on their property and their children which further infuriated the defendant."

Okunola had threatened his wife and children after she contacted lawyers.

He then went to the family home breaking a court injunction Ms Ward had taken out against him.

She was at the home in Farm Avenue with her children when the firebomb was thrown through the window.

The family fled by jumping from an upstairs window on to a mattress their neighbours had put on the ground outside.

Okunola, armed with a bread knife, then chased Ms Ward and stabbed her at least twice.

Bravery award

He was only restrained by her 17-year-old son Kafea who managed to pull Okunola off his mother.

Kafea was commended by the judge for his bravery and awarded £500 from public funds.

Mr Kelly said that when Okunola was interviewed by police he ignored their questions, read passages from the Bible and claimed he was under a voodoo curse.

Okunola is being held at Springfield secure psychiatric unit until prison authorities decide where he will serve his sentence.

The court was told Okunola had been released from prison on licence in June 1994.

Judge Giles Forrester raised concerns as to how Okunola was abled to practice law despite being on license.

He called on the Law Society to investigate how the defendant, who was described as a grave danger to the public, became a solicitor.