Slain Lagos Lawyer: Husband, Sister To Testify In Court Tomorrow

Husband and sister of the late Lagos-based lawyer, who was allegedly murdered on Christmas Day by an Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Drambi Vandi, are set to give their testimonies before the Lagos State High Court sitting at the Tafawa Balewa Square (TBS) on Thursday.

Naija News reports that the slain lawyer’s husband, Gbenga Raheem and her sister are expected to enter the witness box as third and fourth prosecution witnesses on Thursday.

It was learnt that in addition to the testimonies of the two police inspectors, both of them are to give more eyewitness accounts of the killing of the late lawyer, Omobolanle Raheem.

This platform understands that the presiding judge, Justice Ibironke Harrison after the proceeding on Wednesday fixed the next day to take testimonies of the deceased’s husband and sister.

At the proceedings today, Justice Harrison heard the concluding testimonies of the first two prosecution witnesses, who happen to be the two Police Inspectors, Matthew Ameh and Fiyegha Ebimine, who were with Vandi on the day of the incident.

Naija News recalls that Bolanle, 41, a property lawyer was allegedly killed by Vandi who was attached to the Ajiwe Police Station in Ajah, Lagos, on Christmas Day, during a stop and search duty, while she was returning from an outing with her husband, sister and other family members.

Raheem’s alleged murder has stirred up lots of controversies about extrajudicial killing as the act was condemned by different quarters including the presidency and political parties.

The Lagos State Government subsequently on January 16 began Vandi’s prosecution for the alleged murder, as the state’s Attorney-General (AG) and Commissioner for Justice, Mr Moyo Onigbanjo, SAN, arraigned Vandi on a one-count charge of murder.
The charge sheet dated December 28, 2022, and marked LD/20598c/22, alleged that Vandi killed Raheem contrary to Section 223 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.

The document also noted that “ASP Vandi on the 25th of December 2022 at Ajah roundabout along Lekki-Epe Expressway Lagos in the Lagos Judicial Division unlawfully killed one Omobolanle Raheem (F) by shooting her in the chest.”

At the begging of the proceeding, Vandi had pleaded not guilty to the crime.

However, at Wednesday’s proceedings, Vandi’s lawyer, Adetokunbo Odutola completed his cross-examination of Inspector Ameh, which he began on January 16.

Ameh repeated his testimony that on the day and at the scene of the killing, he heard “a noise” indicating that Mrs Raheem had been shot.

Responding to Odutola’s query, the witness explained that the noise he referenced in his statement could not have been anything else but a gunshot sound.

Ameh revealed that “When you hear the sound of a banger, it is different from a gunshot sound. A tyre bust sound is different from a gunshot sound.”

Similarly, his colleague Ebimine confirmed Ameh’s testimony that they were in a three-man team led by Vandi on the day of the shooting.

Ebimine in his testimony recounted that “One woman was in the passenger seat, and a man was driving. I flagged the vehicle down. It didn’t stop. They passed me. I wondered why. He was not speeding. Ameh also flagged him down but he didn’t stop.”

He said shortly after, he heard “a gunshot from the back. I asked Ameh, ‘What is going on?’”

Naija News gathered that the witness told the court that afterwards a crowd gathered and swooped on Vandi, brought him out of a Korope (commercial minibus) where he hid and put him in the deceased’s car.

“I was trying to find out what was going on. I called Vandi on the phone to find out. I said ‘Oga, what happened?’ He said ‘wait.’,” Ebimine added.

Justice Harrison advised Vandi’s lawyer to make a formal application when he hinted to the court after cross-examination to visit the scene of the crime and also examine the ballistics report for the weapon and ammunition allegedly used by Vandi.

The judge then adjourned the hearing till Thursday for the continuation of the trial.