Court sentences killer cop to death for murder of Bolanle Raheem
The Lagos High Court Sitting at the Tafawa Balewa Square on Lagos Island, on Monday, sentenced the suspended Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP), Drambi Vandi, who killed a Lagos-based lawyer, Mrs. Omobolanle Raheem, to death by hanging.
Justice Ibironke Harrison held that the prosecution, the Lagos State Government, has proven the case against the convict beyond all reasonable doubt.
“The court finds the defendant guilty on one count of murder. You will be hanged by the neck till you are dead.” the judge held.
On January 16, the Lagos State Government arraigned Vandi before the court for shooting to death the 41-year-old pregnant lawyer at the Ajah underbridge checkpoint on December 25, 2022.
The convict faced a one-count charge of murder contrary to Section 223 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.
In his arguments, the defence counsel, Adetokunbo Odutola, told the court to note among other things that none of the eyewitnesses saw the defendant shoot and that the ballistic report of the gun allegedly fired expressly stated that the bullet could not be linked with any of the firearms recovered from the police officers at the scene.
Oduntola who argued that the pathologist who testified mentioned that the bullet penetrated from the left through the armpit while the prosecution stated that the deceased was shot in the chest.
However, the prosecution led by the Attorney General of Lagos State, Moyosore Onigbanjo (SAN), had countered the arguments and urged the defendant to defend himself insisting that the prosecution had successfully made its case against him.
