A non-governmental organisation, Kudirat
Initiative for Democracy may institute a civil legal action against
Maj. Hamza Al-Mustapha, the former chief security officer to the late
head of state who was set free by the Court of Appeal over the
assassination of Kudirat Abiola, wife of the winner of the June 12, 1993
presidential election, Chief MK0 Abiola.
Al-Mustapha who had been sentenced to
death on January 30, 2012, by a Lagos High Court over the murder of
Kudirat was discharged and acquitted by the Appeal Court on Friday.
But KIND, which expressed “shock and
disappointment” at the judgment, said in a statement on Saturday in
Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital by its Executive Director, Amy
Oyekunle, that it would obtain a copy of the judgment and commission a
team of legal experts to study its details with a view to “determining
whether a civil action is advisable at this point.”
The organisation founded in memory of
Kudirat by her daughter, Hafsat Abiola-Costello stressed that it
“vehemently disagrees” with the court’s verdict.
The statement entitled “Is this the face
of justice in Nigeria?,” read, “While KIND will obtain this judgment
and commission a team of legal experts to study it in detail, with a
view to determining whether a civil action is advisable at this point,
KIND respectfully acknowledges but vehemently disagrees with the
judgment of the Court of Appeal.
“KIND hereby expresses shock and
disappointment at the judgment, 2013, which overturned the judgment of
the High Court, which had found Al-Mustapha, one time Chief Security
Officer to Gen. Sani Abacha, and Lateef Shofolahan guilty of the June 4,
1996 murder of Kudirat in Lagos, during the reign of terror of Abacha.”
KIND stated that the gruesome murder of
Kudirat in 1996 and the supreme sacrifice made by many other Nigerians,
including Chief MKO Abiola and Alfred Rewane, to restore democracy to
Nigeria.
“The judgment of Justice Amina Augie
(presiding justice of the Court of Appeal’s Panel), Justice Rita Pemu,
and Justice Fatima Akinbami, reversing the judgment of Justice Mojisola
Dada, has now discarded that court’s findings and rejected the court’s
reasoning,” it added.
The group said it was neither seeking vengeance nor retribution but insisted that the killers of Kudirat must be found.
Click to signup for FREE news updates, latest information and hottest gists everydayAdvertise on NigerianEye.com to reach thousands of our daily users
Shame on the Nigerian judiciary. Saving Nigeria remains a dream if not fallacy.....I weep for this Nation called Nigeria.
ReplyDelete