Court acquits OPC leader, others of death of ex-NURTW leader in Ekiti

macfranc007 January 30, 2018 Nigeria News today & Breaking news ▷ Read Nigerian newspapers 24/7 David Oladele

- Chairman of OPC in Ekiti state Adeniyi Adedipe and six others who were standing trial for the murder of former NURTW chairman Omolafe Aderiye have been acquitted

- The judge Lekan Ogunmoye of the state High Court in the judgement, submitted that the prosecution failed to prove the count of conspiracy to kill the late Aderiy

- Ogunmoye faulted the evidence of one witness, Ibidapo, that one Adesokan Adedeji Israel killed the late transporter.

The Ekiti state High Court on Monday, January 30 discharged and acquitted the chairman of Oodua Peoples Congress (OPC) in Ekiti state Adeniyi Adedipe and six others of murder after the prosecution presented contradictory evidences during trial.

ThisDay reports that others discharged by the court include Adebayo Aderiye, Sola Durodola, Kayode Ajayi, Oso Farotimi, Sola Adenijo and Rotimi Olanbiwonnu, who are also members of the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC).

NAIJ.com gathered that they were standing trial for the murder of former chairman of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), Omolafe Aderiye.

The judge Lekan Ogunmoye, in the judgement, submitted that the prosecution failed to prove the count of conspiracy to kill the late Aderiye and the count of murder against all the seven defendants.

The judge faulted the evidence of one witness, Ibidapo, that one Adesokan Adedeji Israel emerged from a Golf Car and shot sporadically into the air before firing the shot that killed the late transporter.

According to him, ''It is inconceivable that amidst sporadic gunshots, the witness would observe the purported killer(s) as what would be in the mind of the witness was how to escape from the scene hence the court won’t believe Ibidapo’s evidence.

''Inconsistencies in the evidence of the prosecution witnesses has created a doubt. Where two or more witnesses give contradictory evidence, it will be illogical to believe their testimony.

''None of the alibi raised by the defendants was investigated by the police. The evidence of the prosecution failed to bring down the evidence of the defendants.

''The plea of evidence succeeds that the accused were not at the scene of the crime. The prosecution failed to rebut the evidence of the defendants.

''The prosecution has been unable to prove that the death of Chief Omolafe Aderiye was caused by any of the defendants. There was nowhere conspiracy can be inferred against any of the defendants. The first to seventh defendants are hereby discharged and acquitted.''

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Defence lawyers, Adetunji Oso, Isaac Omolade, Adeoye Aribasoye, hailed the court for the judgment.

Prosecution lawyer, Mohammed Alaaya, also commended the court “for looking at the evidence brought before it.”

Reacting to the judgement, former governor, and APC chieftain, Segun Oni, said the release of the detainees had again proved that the judiciary remains the last hope of the common man, Oni was in court to show solidarity with the detainees.

Oni said: “I want to salute the judiciary for again displaying independence by freeing these innocent Nigerians who were holed up in the prison over offence they didn’t commit.’’

Meanwhile, NAIJ.com had reported that former minister for works Dayo Adeyeye said he would frustrate the efforts of governor Fayose to impose a candidate on the People’s Democratic Party in the state ahead of the governorship election slated for July this year.

The former, who was the PDP spokesman under Ahmed Makarfi caretaker committee, on publicly Wednesday, January 24, made this declaration said his intention to seek his party’s ticket, despite the governor’s choice of his deputy, Kolapo Olusola.

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