Victor Ogunje in Ado Ekiti

A former member of the House of Representatives, Hon. Bamidele Faparusi, has saluted the judiciary for displaying independence and freed the accused persons in the murder case instituted over the death
of the late Chairman of the National Union of Road Transporters workers, Chief Omolafe Aderiye.

Faparusi said the judiciary deserved commendations in view of alleged high-wired politicking and manipulations that characterized the case, leading to the arrest and incarceration of some chieftains of the All Progressives Congress(APC).

Omolafe, a close ally of Governor Ayodele Fayose, was killed by unknown assailants on September 25, 2014 within the heart of Ado Ekiti metropolis.

Subsequently, some APC stalwarts , including Chief Niyi Adedipe, Mr. Adebayo Aderiye, Sola Durodola, Kayode Ajayi, Oso Farotimi, Sola Adenijo and Rotimi Olanbiwonnu, who are card-carrying members of the opposition were arrested and had since then been imprisoned .

But delivering his judgement on Monday, Justice Ogunmoye , said the state government failed vehemently to prove the case of murder against the accused persons beyond reasonable doubt, thereby dismissing the case and pronounced them discharged and acquitted.

Reacting to the judgement, Faparusi called on the Inspector General of Police, Mr Ibrahim Idris to reinvestigate the matter , so that the demise of the late transporter won’t be in vain.

Fapausi said the case shouldn’t die a natural death just because the accused persons have been freed, saying revelations that some notable allies of Governor Fayose made alleged spirited efforts to substitute the original statements made by the accused persons and replaced with concocted ones was an evil intention that must be brought to justice.

The APC governorship aspirant urged the Inspector General of Police to invite the immediate past Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice in Ekiti, Mr. Owoseeni Ajayi, to explain what actually transpired by way of giving explanations why the state could not advance credible evidence against the accused persons despite its immeasurable interest in the murder.

“It is no longer news that the accused persons were implicated to face criminal prosecution and probably go to jail by the government of Mr Fayose just to get them out of circulation because of their enormous political relevance in Ekiti.

“There were revelations that some aides of the governor forced the police to change the original statements of these innocent people and replaced with ones that were implicating, that was a nefarious and criminal act that must be investigated by the police and the DSS.

“Let me state clearly that the matter shouldn’t be allowed to end here, I advise those implicated to proceed to court to get justice.

“No one can feign ignorance of the fact that those concerned must have lost valuable property and had their lives traumatized throughout the three and half years they were put in the gulag over offence they knew
nothing about .

“There are two issues here now that are begging for justice. One, the victims, having been pronounced prisoners of conscience must seek justice and claim damages from the government for allowing them to be so incarcerated for long.

“Two, the matter must be reinvestigated , so that the real people behind the dastardly killing can be apprehended and made to face the full weight of the law for Nigeria is not in an Hobbesian state where lives are brutish, cruel and wicked.

“Nigeria is operating a constitutional democracy which places high premium on the sanctity of human lives and Aderiye’s death must not be allowed to go the way of the late Chief Bola Ige, Chief Harry Marshall and other politically-motivated killings in Nigeria”. A former member of the House of Representatives, Hon. Bamidele
Faparusi, has saluted the judiciary for displaying independence and freed the accused persons in the murder case instituted over the death of the late Chairman of the National Union of Road Transporters workers, Chief Omolafe Aderiye.

Faparusi said the judiciary deserved commendations in view of alleged high-wired politicking and manipulations that characterized the case, leading to the arrest and incarceration of some chieftains of the All Progressives Congress(APC).

Omolafe, a close ally of Governor Ayodele Fayose, was killed by unknown assailants on September 25, 2014 within the heart of Ado Ekiti metropolis.

Subsequently, some APC stalwarts , including Chief Niyi Adedipe, Mr. Adebayo Aderiye, Sola Durodola, Kayode Ajayi, Oso Farotimi, Sola Adenijo and Rotimi Olanbiwonnu, who are card-carrying members of the opposition were arrested and had since then been imprisoned .

But delivering his judgement on Monday, Justice Ogunmoye , said the state government failed vehemently to prove the case of murder against the accused persons beyond reasonable doubt, thereby dismissing the case and pronounced them discharged and acquitted.

Reacting to the judgement, Faparusi called on the Inspector General of Police, Mr Ibrahim Idris to reinvestigate the matter , so that the demise of the late transporter won’t be in vain.

Fapausi said the case shouldn’t die a natural death just because the accused persons have been freed, saying revelations that some notable allies of Governor Fayose made alleged spirited efforts to substitute the original statements made by the accused persons and replaced with concocted ones was an evil intention that must be brought to justice.

The APC governorship aspirant urged the Inspector General of Police to invite the immediate past Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice in Ekiti, Mr. Owoseeni Ajayi, to explain what actually transpired by way of giving explanations why the state could not advance credible evidence against the accused persons despite its immeasurable interest in the murder.

“It is no longer news that the accused persons were implicated to face criminal prosecution and probably go to jail by the government of Mr Fayose just to get them out of circulation because of their enormous political relevance in Ekiti.

“There were revelations that some aides of the governor forced the police to change the original statements of these innocent people and replaced with ones that were implicating, that was a nefarious and criminal act that must be investigated by the police and the DSS.

“Let me state clearly that the matter shouldn’t be allowed to end here, I advise those implicated to proceed to court to get justice.

“No one can feign ignorance of the fact that those concerned must have lost valuable property and had their lives traumatized throughout the three and half years they were put in the gulag over offence they knew nothing about .

“There are two issues here now that are begging for justice. One, the victims, having been pronounced prisoners of conscience must seek justice and claim damages from the government for allowing them to be so incarcerated for long.

“Two, the matter must be reinvestigated , so that the real people behind the dastardly killing can be apprehended and made to face the full weight of the law for Nigeria is not in an Hobbesian state where lives are brutish, cruel and wicked.

“Nigeria is operating a constitutional democracy which places high premium on the sanctity of human lives and Aderiye’s death must not be allowed to go the way of the late Chief Bola Ige, Chief Harry Marshall and other politically-motivated killings in Nigeria”.