One Bolanle Fadairo has been arraigned before a United States court for allegedly killing one Michael Essien and his two-year-old son.
The incident took place in Southwestern Houston, Texas, United States on Tuesday.
Fadairo told investigators that Essien owed him money, a claim, the deceased wife denied. She confessed that it was rather her husband that used to assist the accused financially.
Fadairo was denied bail after he appeared in court. He was charged with two counts of murder and for tampering with evidence.
According to Ugochi Uloko, a reporter with KHOU 11 News, Fadairo who is 38 years old, was no stranger to the deceased. She said the late Essien, who is a Nigerian, knew Fadairo, who is also a Nigerian, for 30 years.
The court has remanded him at the Harris County jail. The prosecution alleged that the defendant shot and killed Essien at Chimney Rock, before stealing his SUV with his two-year-old son, Micah in the back seat.
The court has ruled that he must always appear in court when called upon, until the conclusion of his trial or pay a bail bond of $1.5m.
He later dumped the SUV at Elms Street with the toddler trapped inside, who later died of suspected head exhaustion.
The defendant, whose criminal record goes back decades, told the police that he had no idea that the boy was in the back seat.
The wife of Mr. Essien said her husband left home on that fateful day with Micah to pick up his brother at school, but they never came back home.
Essien is survived by his wife and two other children, one of which is a few weeks old.
