Al-Mustapha: Lagos goes to Supreme Court

LAGOS State government has confirmed that its vow to appeal the acquittal of Major Hamza Al-Mustapha, former Chief Security Officer to late head of state, General Sani Abacha and Lateef Shofolahan, an aide to the late Kudirat Abiola, wife of the late business mogul, M.K.O. Abiola.

The government, filing appeal papers against the judgment delivered by the Court of Appeal sitting in Lagos on the matter.
The filing of appeal papers was coming one month after the appellate court overturned the judgment of a Lagos High Court sitting in Igbosere, condemning the duo to death by hanging.
The state Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr Ade Ipaye, made this known in Lagos, on Tuesday, adding that the Ministry of Justice had filed the required appeal.
According to him, the papers were filed based on the belief that there were strong bases for appeal.
“Having carefully reviewed the decisions of the respected justices of the Court of Appeal, it is our humble view that there are strong bases for appeal, which the Supreme Court of Nigeria should have an opportunity to consider,” he said.
This step, he said, would ensure that all issues were fully articulated while the victim’s family, the defendants and the society were not deprived of the last window of opportunity provided by the constitution for the resolution of the case.
It will be recalled that the Appeal Court, on July 12, 2013, discharged and acquitted Major Al-Mustapha, who was sentenced to death by hanging over the murder of Alhaja Kudirat Abiola on June 4, 1996.
Justice Mojisola Dada of a Lagos High Court had, on January 30, 2012, sentenced Al-Mustapha and Shofolahan to death, but Justice Rita Pemu, who read the lead judgment, said the prosecution failed to establish the charge of conspiracy and murder against the appellants.
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