The Nation Newspaper

Tag: murder case

  • Civil Defence official gets bail in murder case

    Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps personnel, Kehinde Osho, who allegedly shot dead a man, has appeared before an Ebute Meta Chief Magistrates’ Court.

    Osho is facing a one-count charge of murder.

    He pleaded not guilty.

    Prosecuting Inspector Oladele Adebayo alleged that the accused committed the offence last November 18 at 9pm, at Pipeline Way, Oke-Odo, Lagos.

    He alleged that the accused shot Mr. Taofeek Abdulqadir, 31, with a gun in the head.

    Chief Magistrate O. O. Olatunji granted the accused N200,000 bail with two sureties in the like sum, and ordered that the case file be sent to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) for advice.

    He adjourned till February 7.

  • Ekiti withdraws murder case against APC chair, others

    Ekiti State government has withdrawn the charge of murder brought against All Progressives Congress (APC) Chairman Chief Olajide Awe.

    Awe and two others were accused of complicity in the murder of two Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) members, Mrs. Juliana Adewumi and Mr. Murphy Jeje on March 30, 2013 at Erijiyan-Ekiti in Ekiti West Local Government.

    The other accused persons, who are also APC members, are Mr. Sola Adenijo and Mr. Sefiu Owonifari. Owonifari died about three weeks ago.

    Awe was forced to flee the state after the Governor Ayo Fayose administration filed the charge against him.

    Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice Mr. Kolapo Kolade moved an application for the withdrawal of the case, which came up for hearing yesterday before Justice Dele Omotoso of High Court 7.

    Following the adoption of the application to withdraw the case, Justice Omotoso discharged and acquitted the accused.

    Granting the application, the judge said the court supported the development because it was to promote peace.

    Kolade said: “What happened in court today is far beyond politics. The governor in his usual manner of promoting peace and brotherliness in communities and across party lines has intervened.

    “In this matter, many good people across Nigeria, even the defendants in this matter have appealed to His Excellency to intervene, particularly at Erijiyan.

    “As the defendants and complainant are of same family, the complainants have given a go-ahead, saying the matter should be withdrawn.

    “This development supports the course of justice. One of the cardinal principles of justice is promotion of peace.

    “The major beneficiary is Chief Jide Awe, the APC chairman in Ekiti State. He, alongside his aide and other members were alleged to have killed Madam Juliana Adewumi, mother of the Deputy Speaker and Murphy Jeje, a member of PDP, in 2013. The complainant is the Deputy Speaker.”

    Defence counsel Mr. Ibrahim Olanrewaju said: “Reason seems to have prevailed today. The attorney- general came to court to withdraw the charge.

    “By the provision of our law, the court was left with no option but to discharge and acquit the defendants. This means that this charge can’t be filled in any court again.

    “As you all know the genesis of the case. We are not saying somebody was not murdered, but we all know that it is more of political fight than looking for justice.

    “Taking from the words of the attorney- general, he said they are trying to allow peace reign in the community and to promote good neighbourliness and we support it.

    “We salute the state for doing this. We salute the courage of the attorney-general for the bold step and we salute the courage of our lord, Justice Omotoso, for discharging and acquitting the defendants. He could have just discharged without acquitting them.”

  • Court acquits man accused of killing father

    Court acquits man accused of killing father

    A man accused of killing his father have been discharged and acquitted.

    Sunday Nworu, 29 was accused of killing his father with a hoe and was arrested in 2009, charged to court and remanded in Abakaliki federal prisons.

    But delivering its ruling Thursday, the high court sitting in Onueke, Ezza South local government area of Ebonyi state said the prosecution counsel was unable to prove the case against the accused and therefore discharged and acquitted him.

    The judgement was delivered by the Justice Destina Oko.

    Speaking to reporters shortly after the judgment, counsel to the accused person and a member of the state Legal Aid Counsel, Bar Nathaniel Sunday Nwokpoku.

    “Sunday Nworu was discharged and acquitted in a murder trial. He was accused of killing his father with a hoe. He was arrested in 2009 by the police and arraigned before an Abakaliki Magistrate court and remanded in Abakaliki federal prisons.

    “We came in because we discovered that he hadn’t a lawyer and took up the matter because ours is to represent indigent persons who had no lawyers.

    “After adopting our addresses from our office, after the close of evidence and that of the prosecution counsel from the state Ministry of Justice was discharged and acquitted by court.

    “The court said he did not commit any offence of killing anybody or his father in this case and was discharged and acquitted. I feel elated because if we had not followed up this matter, the accused person would have been convicted and he has no money or lawyer to defend himself on the matter.

    “A careful examination of the case file gave us the temerity to come up and defend the guy after going through the evidence and we are happy that the court gave positive judgment on the case.”

     

  • ‘Help! Police want to turn murder case against me’

    ‘Help! Police want to turn murder case against me’

    An estate agent, Mr Ismaila Asabiyi, has petitioned the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Mr Solomon Arase, to prevail on the Force Criminal Investigation Department, (FCID) Annex, Alagbon, Lagos, from witch-hunting him.

    Asabiyi alleged that the FCID is planning to turn a murder case in which he escaped death by the whiskers against him.

    According to him, officers from the department came to arrest him on October 20.

    He said: “When I asked them what my offence was, they told me that one Shine Shine came to report me that I was the one who killed one Yusuf Ramon. I said how could that be now in 2015 when investigation was concluded in 2013 and the matter is already in court?

    “I was in detention for three days and I asked them to produce Shine Shine so that I can confront him. How could I have killed Yusuf in the incident in which I was also a victim? I suspect that this strange move is meant to cow me so that I will not appear in court on November 9.”

    He alleged that the police asked him to write a statement that would provide an alibi for Shine shine but he refused to accede to their request.

    •Asabiyi after the attack in 2012
    •Asabiyi after the attack in 2012

    Asabiyi said he was later released after the police had collected N200, 000 from his relatives. He urged the IGP to save his life as he is being threatened on a daily basis.

    Asabiyi recalled that he was on his father’s land at Ayetoro, Itele, Ogun State, when some thugs allegedly led by Shine Shine attacked him and others on February 15, 2012.

    He said the attack was so fierce that Yusuf was shot dead while his brothers identified simply as Ahmed, Morufu and Seun were injured, adding that; “I was also shot in the chest.”

    The Nation learnt that Shine Shine has been charged for the alleged murder at High Court 1 in Ota judicial division of the state in the suit no HCT/15C/15. He was however granted bail on health grounds and the matter was adjourned till November 9.

    Asabiyi recalled: “When I was shot, the bullet hit me in the chest but I escaped and hid in a church under construction then in the area. But the thugs found me there and dragged me out. I also recalled that he spoke with someone on the phone reporting the situation of the attack.

    “The thugs beat me up despite the fact that I was already drenched in blood. They also brought my brother, Morufu, and put us on a motorcycle.  One man rode the bike and another thug sat behind us. They took us through an area where we would not be easily identified  by  landlords .

    “They later abandoned us when they thought we would eventually die. But we managed to find our way and got in touch with our people. They took us to the hospital and we subsequently reported the case to the police. Some of our people went to the scene to recover Yusuf’s corpse.”

    Asabiyi said after the police investigation, Shine shine was arraigned at a customary court and the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) insisted he had a case to answer.

    He said he was set to give his evidence in court on November 9 but was surprised when the policemen from the FCID came to arrest him.

  • Alleged police torture: AIG transfers murder case to Zonal HQ

    The Assistant Inspector General of Police in charge of Zone 1, David Omojola, has ordered the transfer of the case involving the father of a student who died as a result of alleged police torture to the zonal headquarters.

    In a statement, Omojola said the transfer was to ensure a speedy dispensation of justice.

    He charged all parties to be calm, as according to him, whoever was found culpable would be made to face the wrath of the law.

    It would be recalled that Mallam Abdullahi Alfa was arrested and detained by the police after the death of his son, Hassan, who was said to have died after he allegedly sustained internal head injury as a result of police torture.