Posted by By OLA AGBAJE and ADEYEMI ADEKUNLE on
Former chief security officer (CSO) to the late head of state, General Sani Abacha, Major Hamza Mustapha and two others, were arraigned on Monday for murder over the June 4, 1996 assassination of Kudirat Abiola, wife of presumed winner of June 12, 1993 presidential election, Chief M. K. O. Abiola.
Mustapha, 2 others face fresh trial over Kudirat's murder
Tueday, June 10, 2008
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Former chief security officer (CSO) to the late head of state, General Sani Abacha, Major Hamza Mustapha and two others, were arraigned on Monday for murder over the June 4, 1996 assassination of Kudirat Abiola, wife of presumed winner of June 12, 1993 presidential election, Chief M. K. O. Abiola.
Others charged with conspiracy and murder over the killing of Mrs Abiola are the chief protocol officer to Abiola and later to his murdered wife, Alhaji Lateef Shofola and the then commander of the mobile police, Presidential Villa Unit, Muhammed Rabo Lawal, a chief superintendent of police.
The trial judge, Justice Morenike Dada of Lagos High Court, Ikeja, took the plea of the accused persons after rejecting an application seeking to quash the charge.
All the three accused persons pleaded not guilty to the two-count charge when it was read to them.
Consequently, the trial judge fixed July 3, 2008 for the trial of the accused persons to commence.
However, counsel to Mustapha, Olalekan Ojo, stated that the defence is still expecting certain documents and materials from the Directorate of Military Intelligence (DMI) to facilitate Mustapha's preparation to defend himself in the matter.
According to him, if the materials said to be in the custody of DMI were made available, the trial could be completed within two weeks.
The defence was, however, countered by the prosecuting state counsel, Bisi Ogungbesan, who argued that the purported materials being sought by the defence were not relevant to the case while arguing that every material necessary for the accused persons to prepare their defence have been made available in the proof of evidence.
It would be recalled that the accused persons had earlier been arraigned before two judges, Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun (now of the Court of Appeal) and Justice Christopher Segun.
Justice Dada is the third judge to be assigned to the case since year 2000 when they were first arraigned.