By; OLADELE ADEDAYO, Ado-Ekiti
A High Court sitting in Ado-Ekiti,the Ekiti state capital has reserved judgment in the suit instituted by state government against seven persons accused of complicity in the murder of the former National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) state Chairman, Omolafe Aderiye.
Aderiye was murdered on 25th September, 2014 at his business office, in Ijigbo area of Ado-Ekiti.
The murder case in November, 2014 shortly after Governor Ayo Fayose
came to power.
Defendants in the case are Adebayo Aderiye (1st), Adeniyi Adedipe
(2nd), Sola Durodola (3rd), Ajayi Kayode (4th), Oso Farotimi (5th),
Sola Adenijo (6th) and Rotimi Olanbiwonnu (7th).
At the resumed hearing of the case on Friday, lawyers to all parties
adopted their final written addresses.
Counsel to 1st-4th defendants, Mr. Biodun Fasakin; counsel to 5th and
7th defendants, Mr. Lekan Olatawura and counsel 6th defendant, Chief Anthony Adeniyi, urged the court to discharge and acquit the defendants.
They argued that the prosecution has failed to establish the case of
murder against their clients.
Adeniyi particularly cited the case of Onubogu v State as reported in
1974 Nigerian Supreme Court Case (NSCC) 1 because of what he called
“the contradictory evidence of witnesses brought by the prosecution.”
He said: “When witnesses contradict themselves materially, it is not left to court to choose and pick which of the witnesses to believe.
“In such circumstances,the court should hold that the case is not
proved beyond reasonable doubt.”
Prosecution counsel,Mr. Ahmed Tafa, urged the court to convict the
defendants on the strength of evidence placed before the court.
Tafa said he relied on the testimony of the prosecution witnesses and
documents to secure their conviction to pay the supreme price for Aderiye’s murder.
Justice Adekanye Ogunmoye thanked all counsel in the case for their industry and cooperation throughout over three years the case lasted.
He adjourned the case for judgment saying the date of the judgment
would be communicated to all parties in due course.
