The Lagos State High Court sitting at Tafawa Balewa Square will on Monday, October 9, 2023, deliver judgement in the case of an Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP), Darambi Vandi, charged with shooting dead a Lagos-based lawyer, Omobolanle Raheem, on Christmas Day.
The court gave the judgment date on July 13 after the adoption of final written addresses by parties in the suit.
Vandi was arraigned on January 16 on a count charge of murder but he pleaded not guilty.
The court granted an accelerated hearing on the case.
The Lagos State Government alleged that the police officer shot Raheem in the chest at Ajah Roundabout on the Lekki expressway in Lagos State on December 25, 2022.
It stated that the murder contravenes Section 223 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.
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The prosecution team led by the Lagos State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Moyosore Onigbanjo, called 11 witnesses, including eight police officers.
The other prosecution witnesses were two eyewitnesses and a pathologist.
Among the prosecution witnesses was Inspector Matthew Ameh, who worked with ASP Vandi at the time of the alleged murder.
The prosecution closed its case on February 25.
On February 28, the defendant through his counsel, Gbenro Gbadamosi, filed an application, praying the court to quash the charge against him.
Gbadamosi argued that the evidence of the prosecution witnesses were inconsistent and did not link Vandi to the alleged murder.
On April 3, the court, however, dismissed the no-case submission.
The presiding judge, Justice Ibironke Harrison, held that the prosecution established sufficient oral and documentary evidence linking ASP Vandi to the alleged crime, which required an explanation from him.
Justice Harrison added that the evidence by the defendant would shed light on what happened.
On May 31, the defendant gave evidence and closed his case.
His counsel had told the court that Vandi was the sole defence witness.
On July 13, the parties adopted their written addresses, and the court reserved judgement until October 9.
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