March 28, 2022

Delay in advice by Lagos State Directorate of Public Prosecutions on Monday stalled proceedings in the murder case involving Lagos Island Branch B Chairman of the National Union of Road Transport Workers.

The case before a Yaba Chief Magistrate’s Court has been further adjourned until April 4.

The chairman, Azeez Lawal (a.k.a Kunle Poly), aged 48, and one Adekanbi Wahab, aged 38, were on Jan. 27 brought on a three-count of conspiracy to commit murder, murder and membership of secret cult.

The charge was read to the defendants but their pleas were not taken.

The alleged offences contravened Section 233 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015, and Section 3 of the Anti-cultism Law of Lagos State, 2021.

On Monday, the Chief Magistrate, Mrs Linda Balogun, further adjourned the case pending DPP advice.

She directed a lawyer from the directorate, Mrs O. R. Saliu, to ensure the advice would be ready on the next adjourned date.

Saliu had told the court that the advice was not ready.

Counsel to the defendants, Mr Adeshina Okulana, argued that the defendants had been in custody for more than 60 days.

He said that it violated their rights and that the DPP did not give any reason for the delay and a timeframe within which the advice would be ready.

The defendants were, on Jan. 27, remanded for an initial period of 30 days.

They were on Feb. 28 further remanded for another 30 days.

Balogun had initially remanded the defendants at the Police Zonal Monitoring Unit, Zone 2 Headquarters, Onikan, Lagos, pending further investigations.

She remanded them at the Ikoyi Correctional Centre on the last adjourned date. (NAN)