21st October, 2018
An Igbosere Magistrate Court has ordered Rasaq Akinwale, aka Shanko, an aide to Ganiu Okanlawon Sanni, the Special Adviser on Food Security to the Lagos State Governor, Akinwunmi Ambode to be remanded in prison.
Rasaq Akinwale, aka Shanko, a 42 year old man and others at large, allegedly attempted to kill one Ibrahim Mustapha with a knife and other dangerous weapons, on 4th of October at Anthony Village in Lagos during the APC National Assembly Primaries.
Also, our correspondent gathered that an invitation has been sent to the Special Adviser to Governor Akinwunmi Ambode on Food Security, Hon. Ganiu Okanlawon Sanni, by the Special Tactical Squad of the IGP’s office to explain the role he played in the said attack.
Okanlawon is also the candidate that will be contesting for the House of Assembly seat for Kosofe Constituency I of the Lagos State House of Assembly.
The matter was brought before the Chief Magistrate, Mrs. Folashade Botoku, in a suit titled IGP v. Rasak Akinwale. He was arraigned before Court 2 of the Igbosere Magisterial District of Magistrate Court of Lagos.
He is facing a four-count charge bordering on attempted murder and conduct likely to cause breach of peace. The accused, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges.
The complainant, Ibrahim Mustapha, who was attacked and is still receiving treatment in a private hospital, he was represented in Court by his Counsel, Bolaji Benson.
The Prosecutor, Friday Mameh had told the Court that the accused committed the offences on Oct. 4, at 11.00 hrs at Anthony Village, Lagos.
Mameh said the accused and others at large attempted to kill Ibrahim Mustapha, with machete and other dangerous weapons, during the APC National Primaries that held on 4th October, in Lagos State.
“Akinwale and others at large, during the primary election conducted by the All Progressives Congress, APC, on 4th October, 2018 into National Assembly offices, around 11.00hrs, attacked Ibrahim Mustapha with a machete and cause a deep cut on his body. The offences contravened Sections 411, 230 and 245 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State of Nigeria, 2011 (Revised),” said Mameh
Akinwale, however, pleaded not guilty to all the four-count charges.
The defendant was ordered to be remanded in prison custody for two weeks pending advice from the office of Director of Public Prosecution, Lagos State Ministry of Justice. The case was adjourned till the 2nd November 2018.
There was, however, a mild drama after the matter came up for hearing on Thursday, some thugs who were led by one Musiliu Aigoro, were present at the court premises, where they threatened to deal with the Counsel to the complainant, Bolaji Benson, it took the intervention of the security agencies present, who escorted him (Counsel) to safety that day.
While recounting his ordeal to our reporter, Benson said, “He (Aigoro) told me in Yoruba; ‘Iwo, waa ri nnkan taa ma se fun e’, meaning you will see the misfortune that will befall you in our hands. I had to wait for the police in court to finish before they escorted me out of the court premises.
“There were lots of them within the court premises lurking around court, I am sure they were sent to subvert justice in their favour, but they will not escape this, this is not politics, this is criminal and they better be warned by their sponsor that the judiciary has no place for acts such as this.” Benson summed up.
It will be recalled, as widely reported in the media, that Ibrahim Mustapha, a former Chairmanship aspirant in Kosofe Local Government area, narrowly escaped death on Thursday, 4th October, when political thugs attacked him at Anthony Village. He was immediately rushed to a private hospital in Lagos.
Mustapha was attacked by political thugs suspected to be working for the Special Adviser to the Governor of Lagos on Food Security, Ganiu Okanlawon and a member of Lagos State House of Assembly, Hon. Bayo Oshinowo, and matcheted him severally on the head.
Eyewitnesses informed our reporter on the day of attack that the assailants, numbering two-five, swooped on him and allegedly inflicted deep machete cuts on his heads and other parts of his body. Some of the voters who were with him also sustained various degrees of injuries.