DPP exonerate seven alleged killers of NURTW chief

The seven suspects – Ahmadu Kazeem, 43; Ibrahim Afolabi, 37; Lawal Lateef, 27; Anthony Qudus, 33; Adeshina Ibrahim, 28; Adebayo Ogunjimi, 25; and Animashaun Olubodun, 33 – were discharged and acquitted on Thursday.
The seven suspects arrested and arraigned before an Ebute-Meta Chief Magistrate’s Court, Lagos, in connection with the alleged killing of a leader of the National Union of Road Transport Workers on the Lagos Island, Azeez Otun, aka Ashake, and two others, have been exonerated by the Directorate of Public Prosecutions.

The DPP, in its advice, called for the arrest and prosecution of five other suspects – Kazeem Oloko, Abass Adebola, Mustapha Akindele, aka Sego, Fatal Olori, aka Agbara, and Alli Balogun.

It was gathered that Ashake, Rilwan Saka and Obabiolorunkosi Nurudeen were shot dead by some political thugs after a rally of the Peoples Democratic Party on September 20, 2014, at the Tafawa Balewa Square, Onikan.

After the alleged killing, the police arrested the seven suspects and brought them before the Chief Magistrate Afolashade Botoku-led court, which granted the remand application brought by the police, pending the advice from the DPP.

However, in absolving the suspects of the alleged murder, the DPP in its advice with reference number LJP/HOM/2016/02/13, dated February 23, 2016, and signed by one M. T. Adewoye, an Assistant Director, stated that the prosecution failed in establishing the culpability of the suspects.