An Ikeja High Court has acquitted Ibrahim Yusuf, a 29-year-old man who had been charged with the murder of a Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) officer, Mr.
Olatunde Awotola. The case, which has been closely followed, ended on Monday when Justice Oyindamola Ogala ruled that the prosecution failed to prove the charges of involuntary manslaughter and causing grievous bodily harm.
Justice Ogala stated that the prosecution lacked sufficient evidence, noting the absence of documentary proof from the sole prosecution witness. Additionally, no records were presented to show that the incident was ever reported at a police station. After reviewing all the evidence, the judge concluded that the prosecution failed to establish the necessary elements of the alleged offenses.
Following the verdict, Yusuf was discharged and acquitted.
During the trial, the State Counsel, Mr. Ola Azeez, brought forward one witness to support the prosecution's case. Meanwhile, the defendant was represented by Mr. Bidemi Ademola-Bello.
The prosecution had accused Yusuf of attacking the LASTMA officer on February 12, 2022, in the Kosoko Ojodu area of Lagos, during an attempted arrest. According to the allegations, Yusuf had obstructed traffic, and when the officer tried to impound his vehicle, he retaliated by stabbing the victim in the head and neck. Yusuf was then said to have fled the scene, abandoning his vehicle.
Be first to comment