Being the text of The State of the Nation Press Conference addressed by the Coalition Against Corrupt Leaders (CACOL)
on Thursday, 1st of August, 2013, at The Humanity Centre, Lagos
Gentlemen of the Press,
That pronouncement of discharge and acquittal of the duo of Al-Mustapha and Lateef Shofolahan of the charge of the murder of Kudirat Abiola by the Court of Appeal, on Friday, 12th July, 2013, expectedly, has since been attracting massive reactions from the cross-section of the public.
The protracted court proceedings that actually began in 1999 and which had so far entertained series of adjournments, motions after motions and of course, mind-boggling confessions and recantations from star witnesses, began heading for the long-awaited conclusion when, on the 30th of January, 2012, Justice Mojisola Dada of the Lagos High Court returned a verdict of guilt on the accused and so sentenced them to die by hanging. The reversal of that decision by the Court of Appeal, in favour of the accused, on Friday, 12th July, 2013 has no doubt been enjoying all the media hype and public comments it deserves. This development, of course is quite comprehensible given the personalities involved and there is no pretending on the far-reaching implication of the judgment on the polity. Therefore, given the high profile nature of the case, there is the need to look deeply into the case in its entirety and try to analyze dispassionately. Continue reading “AL-MUSTAPHA’S ACQUITTAL – A CASE OF PROCEDURAL AND TACTICAL FAILURE”
