Schizophrenia appointment for man was confirmed two days after he killed his grandmother in Cork

The mother of a young man, facing a sentence for the manslaughter of his grandmother, had been trying to organise a drug injection for her son’s diagnosed schizophrenia but the treatment offer only arrived in the post two days after the killing.

Brian Nnamdi Ogbo appeared at Cork Circuit Criminal Court for sentencing for the manslaughter of his grandmother at the family home in Carrigaline one year ago.

Defence senior counsel Jane Hyland, said: “This is a tragedy for the family and also a tragedy for Mr Ogbo.”

Investigating Detective Garda Tom Delaney said: “I would agree.”

The mother and sister of the accused man presented references on Mr Ogbo’s behalf, testifying to his high level of intelligence, sensitive nature, diagnosed schizophrenia, and the care that he had shown for his grandmother over many years.

Ms Hyland said the Ogbo family are a highly accomplished family in Nigeria where several of them practise as doctors and surgeons.

Ms Hyland said the defendant’s mother, daughter of the deceased, made huge efforts in Cork to arrange an anti-psychotic depot injection for her son. As his mother, and also being a qualified social worker, she could see that his behaviour was deteriorating due to the absence of medication.

“He got an appointment two days after his granny died,” Ms Hyland said.

Brian Nmandi has been in custody since he caused his 82-year-old grandmother’s death by dragging her down the stairs causing her to fall and go down head-first. 

While not initially admitted to hospital, her condition later required hospitalisation and she died as a result of her injuries.

Judge Sinéad Behan said that she needed to see details of a post-release psychiatric care plan for the accused, and sentencing was adjourned until March 4 for that purpose.

Testified 

Detective Delaney testified that on February 23, 2025, a dispute arose at 17 Garrydhu Drive, where Brian Ogbo had been pacing around the house and shouted at his mother, Ruby Ogbo, to leave him alone. Ruby discovered the accused had eaten all the food and had destroyed the kitchen.

“Ruby Ogbo took the wifi internet box out of the house. She stated that as she tried to walk out of the house, he pulled her back. She exited the house and was followed by the accused, who had a blue-handled scissors in his hand. He threatened to cut the wires in the house before putting the scissors on the ground. Ruby Ogbo picked up the scissors and brought it back into the house.

“He pushed her to the ground in the kitchen and punched her into the head while she was on the ground. She was crying at this stage. The accused then went upstairs looking for his grandmother, who was in the bathroom. He shouted at her to open the door. Ruby fled the house to get help from a neighbour.

“A short time after, the [now-]deceased emerged from the house in a distressed state. Brian Ogbo had broken down the bathroom door and dragged his grandmother, Stella Nnadi, out of the room.”

After Brian Ogbo was arrested, he was taken to CUH, examined, discharged and given a letter to attend CUH on a voluntary basis.

Meanwhile, Stella Nnadi’s condition deteriorated, and on February 25, Ruby Ogbo requested an ambulance as her mother was not responding to her. “She had a significant bleed in her brain, and her condition rapidly deteriorated,” Det Garda Delaney said.

Questioned 

Det Sergeant Simon Grace and Det Garda Delaney later questioned the accused.

He stated: “I got angry. Started breaking things. I lost my cool. I took a knife, but I didn’t stab anybody. I went upstairs to my granny. She was in the toilet. She told me she couldn’t open it. I broke the door, dragged her out, dragged her down the stairs. She fell down the stairs and got up. I locked her out of the house.”

The accused recalled: “I can remember she was going face down, face first, down the stairs. I was holding her by the hand.”

Dr Heidi Okkers, state pathologist, concluded that the cause of death was blunt force trauma to the head as a result of being pulled down the stairs. 

The accused was remanded in custody to March 4 at Cork Circuit Criminal Court for sentencing.