A Federal High Court sitting in Lagos, yesterday, dismissed a no-case submission by 20 suspected pipeline vandals, who allegedly killed nine policemen in Arepo area of Ikorodu, Lagos State on May 24, 2014.
The officers allegedly killed by the accused persons include ASP Abdullahi Bature, Insp. Raymond Oriere, Insp. Usman Mohammed, Insp. Tijani Jimoh, Cpl. Elogbamen Timothy, Insp. Oguntihemen Kolawole, Cpl. Yakubu Aliyu, Cpl. Usman Abdukarim and Cpl. Dauda Mohammed.
The 20 accused persons standing trial are Felix Yayu, Ijoufaya, Yakubu Ebiwei, Augustine Ebiwei, Tamara Dembofa, Owei Atile, Agbara Tiewei, Rufus Godwin, Tiery Koiyetin, Ebis Sobijoh, Ibori Lawrence, Eberebu Ibori, Atinuke Odewale, Fatai Ishola, Ahmed Bashorun, Odewale Waheed, Susan Viana, Tuesday Filatei, Yeiyah Yellow and Ismail Abdullahi.
The suspected vandals, who are being tried before Justice Okon Abang, had filed a no-case submission, praying the court to set them free on the strength of argument that the police had failed to establish prema facie (strong evidence) case against them.
Justice Abang, had compulsorily closed the prosecution’s case owing to the fact that witnesses were not presented before the court after the initial two that testified.
Dissatisfied with the ruling, the police had appealed same and asked for stay of proceedings before the trial court.
But Justice Abang, in his ruling on all the applications before him, dismissed both the no-case submission of the defence and the application for stay of proceedings filed by the prosecution.
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