More reactions have continued to trail the acquittal of Hamza Al-Mustapha and Lateef Shofolahan for the alleged murder of Alhaja Kudirat Abiola by the Court of Appeal in Lagos, Friday. A human rights activist and ace lawyer, Fred Agbaje, has declared that the decision of the appellate court was a good development and in line with the rule of law.
He said, “The level of evidence in that case left too many loopholes for the defence counsel to take advantages of and that is exactly what they have done.”
Agbaje, noted that the court verdict portrayed that there was no reasonable ground to detain Al-Mustapha and Shofolahan for almost 15 years.
He voiced his conviction thus, “It is good for the development of the rule of law in this country. The innocent shall not be unjustly punished. I hope the matter will now rest, except the Lagos State Government wants to pursue an appeal.
“Lagos State must not only be ready to pay damages for unlawfully and unconstitutionally detaining and prosecuting an innocent citizen for 15 years, but must be ready as well to offer apology to Al-Mustapha and co,” Agbaje added.
Adding his voice, a criminal defence lawyer, Mr Yemi Omodele hailed the judgment, saying that it was a good development for both the bar and the bench.
His words, “Al-Mustapha has rightly exercised his constitutional right and he has got what he wants from the Court of Appeal.
“If the prosecution is not satisfied with the decision, they can file an appeal at the Supreme Court.
“But I believe that the appeal court’s judgment was very sound.”
Also speaking, Chairman, Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, Ikeja branch, Mr Onyekachi Ubani said that the judgment was a temporary relief for Al-Mustapha.
He said, “I am yet to be abreast of the reasons for the reversal of the judgment, but it is within the purview of the appeal court to review decision of a lower court.
“It could be that they found out that the lower court erred either on the side of law or on the application of fact.
“However, the government may appeal to the Supreme Court. So for now, it is a temporary relief for Al-Mustapha.”
A constitutional lawyer, Prof. Itse Sagay (SAN), cautioned that there should be no impunity in the country.
He said that “Principle must be established in this country that anybody who infringes on a person’s right, particularly the right to life, must pay fully for it under the law. That is what I want to say,” Sagay said.
The former Chief Security Officer to the late former Head of States, General Sani Abacha, was ealier sentenced to death in January by a Lagos High Court for his alleged role in the death of Alhaja Kudirat Abiola in 1996.
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