There was high drama at a Lagos magistrates court after seven members of the All Progressives Congress were remanded in custody for alleged involvement in the killing of a leader of the National Union of Road Transport Workers, 47-year-old Azeez Ottun, aka Ashake. The police said that Rilwan Saka, 19, and Obabiolorunkosi Nureni (age unknown) were also […]
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The police said that Rilwan Saka, 19, and Obabiolorunkosi Nureni (age unknown) were also shot dead during a fracas involving members of the APC and the Peoples Democratic Party.
Family members of the accused wept after Chief Magistrate Mrs A.F.O. Botoku ruled that the accused would be remanded in custody until the police investigation is concluded.
The seven men, Ahmadu Kazeem, 43, Ibrahim Afolabi, 37, Lawal Lateef, 27, Anthony Qudus, 33, Adeshina Ibrahim, 28, Adebayo Ogunjimi, 25 and Animashan Olubodun 33, have been remanded on four counts of murder.
The prosecution legal team, led by Cyril Ejiofor and Daniel Ighodalo, said the accused men killed the three victims on September 20, 2014 on Enu-owa Street in Lagos.
The police said the accused were found with weapons in their possession.
The prosecution team, citing section 264 of the administration of criminal justice law of Lagos state, 2011, urged the court to remand the defendants in custody pending the conclusion of investigations and legal advice from the directorate of public prosecutions.
However, the defence team, led by Spurgeon Ataene, opposed the remand application.
Ataene urged the court to conduct a preliminary investigation and ascertain the credibility of the remand request.
“The police have brought before this court the offence of murder, which is a serious offence before the law. We urge the court to use its power, as conferred under section 264 (9) of the ACJLL, 2011, to conduct a preliminary enquiry to ascertain if there is a probable cause for remand,” he said.
“This is a matter that has been widely reported in the dailies and five people have already confessed to this crime. None of the people before your honour is among them. The police said they were arrested with exhibits, but I ask, what are these exhibits?” he said.
Ejiofor replied that the defence had already deviated from the remand proceeding.
The chief magistrate ruled that the defendants would be remanded in custody and subsequently adjourned the case until January 11, 2016.
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