17th January, 2011
After 15 years of protracted trial, a Lagos High Court this morning, discharged and acquitted two persons, Lucky Igbinovia and Effiong Elemi accused of killing Pa Alfred Rewane.
Sometime last year, the court discharged one of the accused persons, Elvis Iremuwe based on the no case submission.
Meanwhile, five of the suspects namely: Sylvester Iyasele, Saturday Egbemude, Ola Obanuso, Akeem Ali and Sunday Obanobi had died in prison custody while awaiting trial.
The eight accused persons were defended by a team of three lawyers: Moses Odiri, Maxwell Adeniran and Owolabi Dudu.
In his judgement this morning Justice Olusola Williams said it is quite plain that there was nothing to support the case of the prosecutor, E. I. Alakija.
“It appears to me that all the police did was to visit the venue of the incident and arrest the workers. There was no evidence to support the statement of the accused. The prosecutor failed to prove the two-count charge.
“The two accused persons during the course of trial within trial denied the confessional statements allegedly made by them to the police, stating that it was made under dures,†Justice Williams said, adding that the charge was not proved.
He consequently discharged and acquited the accused persons.
Pa Alfred Oritsewehimi Rewane, 79, a chieftain of the National Democratic Coalition, NADECO, was assassinated in his house at 100, Oduduwa Crescent, GRA, Ikeja, Lagos, Nigeria, on 6 October, 1995.
The elder statesman and politician was killed by unknown gunmen who rode in a Peugeot 505 in the colour of Life Flour Mills, Sapele, a company owned by the late Pa Rewane.
Reports said a relation had suggested to Pa Rewane to hire police security. In reaction, he said: “What will anyone want with an oldman like me? If anyone is after my life, let him come. Anyone who killed any oldman would do him great honour of being talked about in death and putting himself in great trouble.â€
Immediately he was assassinated, eight persons, mostly Pa Rewane’s domestic servants like cooks and drivers were arrested and clamped into prison custody.
— Akin Kuponiyi
