Mustapha, Sofolahan appeals death sentence
- Details
- Category: Latest
- Published on Saturday, 16 June 2012 17:05
- Written by Palmer Ogheneyole Nathaniel
Major Hamza Al-Mustapha and Alhaji Lateef Sofolahan have approached the Lagos Division of the Court of Appeal seeking to upturn the death sentenced handed down them by a Lagos State High Court early this year. Al-Mustapha, the former chief security officer to the former head of state, Sanni Abacha and Sofolahan, Security aide to the slain
Hajia Kudirat Abiola, the wife of the late buisness mogul and winner of the June 12 election Bashorun MKO Abiola, were sentenced to death by hanging by a Lagos High Court presided over by Justice Mojisola Dada on January 30th this year for the murder of Kudirat Abiola in 1994.
Confirming the development to newsmen, counsel to the two men, Olalekan Ojo revealed that the copy of the judgement of the Lagos High Court have now been made available to them, stating that an appeal is ready to be lodged come June 21st.
Ojo said “Records of appeal will be transmitted to the Court of Appeal by 21st of June. The implication of this is that parties can exchange briefs of arguments preparatory to the transmission of the record, briefs of argument can be
exchanged. Our expectation is that the Court of Appeal will start to sit latest in October."
Giving details of the additional grounds of appeal Ojo said, one is “that the learned trial judge erred in law by relying on Exhibit A6( a purported confessional statement of Sofolahan during interrogation) which the court said had got lost when no other copy of it was tendered by the prosecutor to replace that which was lost.
