Court Grants Four Suspected Killers Of Lagos Grassroots Politician Bail

MojIsola Lawal

A Yaba Chief Magistrates’ Court in Lagos has granted bail to four suspected killers of a 52-year-old grassroots politician and member of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Ifeanyi Godfrey.
Godfrey, a staff of Western Funeral Home Limited in Ijede Local Council Development Area of Ikorodu, Lagos State was killed at his duty post on the 16th April 2021 when the Home was violently attacked by some cultists.
In a sworn affidavit, the Investigating Police Officer in charge of the case, Inspector James Ewunebe declared that the Force Criminal Investigating Department, Abuja, had established a prima facie case of conspiracy and murder against the suspects.
The suspects, Atunrase Sodiq Omolabi ‘M’ 28 years, Shittu Michael Olawale ‘M’ 28 years, Olaide Opeifa ‘M’ 40′ years, and Olanrewaju Adebiyi aka Maja ‘M’ 35 years who have been remanded at the Correctional Facility were admitted to bail in the sum of N300, 000 with 2 sureties each in the like sum by the Chief Magistrate, Mrs Adeola O. Olatunbosun.
The matter was adjourned for mention till March 21, 2022.

While executing the advice of the Directorate of Public Prosecution dated December 13, 2021, with reference number LJP/MISC/2021/155/19, the Magistrate, had stated that the four suspects, joined as defendants in the filed Suit No: MISC/MCY/766/21 do have a case to answer.
Meanwhile, a prominent politician and Chairman of the Western Funeral Home Limited, Hon Oluwatosin Onamade has questioned the decision of the Chief Magistrate to grant bail to the murder suspects while describing the decision as disturbing and unbelievable.
Speaking through his legal counsel, Barr Odeh Emmanuel Esq, Onamade disclosed that he has filed an appeal at the Lagos High Court challenging the decision of the court to grant bail to murder suspects despite the gravity of the offence committed.
“The whole decision of the Court to try murder case and the discretionary power of the court to grant bail to the four (4) defendants in murder charge even when no one applied for it really raises a lot of questions” he said.
In the appeal No: 4B/05/2022 with charge No: MISC/MCY/766/21, with the Attorney general of Lagos State and the Director, Directorate of Public Prosecution (DPP) as respondents, the notice reads, “Take notice that the Appellant herein, Mr. Oluwatosin Onamade being dissatisfied with the Ruling/Decision of the Magistrate Court Coram His Honour: Adeola Olatunbosun (Chief Magistrate) delivered on the 23rd of February, 2022 wherein it ruled and assumed jurisdiction and granted bail to four (4) defendants on the charge of murder despite the legal advice issued and preferring a charge of murder against the defendants do hereby appeal upon the grounds set out in paragraph 3 hereof and will at the hearing of the appeal, seek the reliefs and Orders set out in paragraph 4.”
Raising grounds for the appeal, counsel to the plaintiff, Barr Odeh Emmanuel said, “The Lower Court erred in law when he ordered that the four (4) defendants before the court are to be tried by the magistrate Court as against the legal advice preferring a charge of Murder against the defendants and thus occasioned a miscarriage of justice.” And that “the Learned Chief Magistrate erred in law when he admitted the four (4) defendants to bail on a charge bordering on being members of unlawful Society contrary to section 2 of the Lagos State Unlawful Societies and Cultism (Prohibition) Law 2021.

Onamade is hereby seeking Reliefs at the Court of Appeal for an order allowing his appeal, an order that the lower magistrate court lacks jurisdiction to entertain the charge, an order that the lower court have excuse itself from proceeding of murder charge on the arrival of the legal advice preferring a murder charge against the defendants, an order setting aside the proceedings /rulings of 23rd day of February, 2022 as it lacks jurisdiction to do so, and an order directing the learned chief magistrate , His Worship, Adeola Olatunbosun (Chief Magistrate) to relief himself or any other magistrate from further proceedings, approving bail and / or doing anything on the instant charge pending the final determination of the appeal, amongst others.
The decision of learned Chief Magistrate is not only morally offensive and irritating to the appellant but also an abuse of office, judicial rascality and a contravention of Lagos State Magistrate’s Court Laws.”

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