Crimes

Lagos lawyer’s murder: Court delivers judgement Monday

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.

READ ALSO: Lawyer’s husband: How policeman killed my wife on Xmas day

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.

The Star

Segun Ojo

Recent Posts

Sanwo-Olu loses Deputy Chief of Staff

Gboyega Soyannwo, the Deputy Chief of Staff to Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has died.…

1 hour ago

‘Insult to workers’: NLC, TUC reject FG’s N48,000 proposed minimum wage

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) have rejected…

4 hours ago

Atiku to FG: Borrowing N20trn pension fund’ll ve disastrous consequences

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate in the 2023 election, Atiku Abubakar, has condemned…

4 hours ago

‘They’ll boost industrial growth’: Tinubu inaugurates 3 gas projects

President Bola Tinubu has inaugurated three gas infrastructure projects, including the expanded AHL Gas Processing…

5 hours ago

Portable fails to meet bail conditions, detained in police custody

Popular Nigerian singer Habeeb Okikiola, well known as Portable, has been detained in police custody…

7 hours ago

3 Wike’s loyalists quit as Fubara’s commissioners

Three commissioners serving in the cabinet of Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara have resigned from…

8 hours ago

This website uses cookies.