Ramon Oladimeji
Hafsat, a daughter of the assassinated Alhaja Kudirat Abiola, has asked Maj. Hamza Al-Mustapha (retd.), who was prosecuted over the case, not to celebrate his acquittal by the Court of Appeal yet because the Supreme Court will soon hear and rule on the case.
Kudirat, wife of the acclaimed winner of the June 12, 1993 presidential election, late MKO Abiola, was assassinated in Lagos on June 4, 1996.
Al-Mustapha, then Chief Security Officer to the late military Head of State, Gen. Sani Abacha; and Kudirat’s aide, Lateef Shofolahan, were fingered in Kudirat’s assissination and prosecuted by the Lagos State Government.
In January 2012, a Lagos State High Court, presided over by Justice Mojisola Dada, found Al-Mustapha and Shofolahan guilty of killing Kudirat and sentenced them to death.
The judgment was, however, overturned by the Lagos Division of the Court of Appeal on July 12, 2013 and the defendants were discharged and acquitted.
Displeased, the state took the case before the Supreme Court, which recently constituted a five-man panel to hear the case and fixed January 12, 2017 for hearing.
Hafsat, in a statement on behalf of the Abiola’s family on Tuesday, cautioned Al-Mustapha against making statements that could prejudice the case.
Hafsat said the family had read about a recent statement made by Al-Mustapha in Ondo State, proclaiming that he was innocent of Killing Kudirat.
The statement read, “It is worth recalling that you (Al-Mustapha) were convicted by the High Court in Lagos State. And although you were acquitted by the Appeal Court on technicalities, the case is before the Supreme Court. Your current ranting is designed to divert the course of justice.
“It should be noted in the context of your recent declaration of innocence that Sergeant Rogers confessed before the Oputa panel that you gave him the gun to carry out the murder of our mother.
“You never challenged the evidence of Rogers at the panel. The video of his confession is available on Youtube, if you need to refresh your memory.
“Justice is the only way to ensure peace, especially in plural societies like ours.
“Kudirat Abiola was gunned down in the streets of Lagos for doing no more than challenging the military rule by demanding the release of her husband, the winner of the most democratic election ever held in Nigeria.
“She did not kill herself. For the sake of justice in Nigeria, the perpetrators of this heinous crime must be prosecuted. Actions must have consequences.”
Credit : PUNCH.
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