An Oyo State High Court has sentenced a former Chairman of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) in the state, Mr. Mukaila Lamidi, known as Auxiliary, to six years imprisonment.
Lamidi and four others were put on on trial on a three-count charge of conspiracy, murder and attempted murder for two years before the state High Court. They have been subsequently remanded in Agodi prisons where the third defendant, Taiwo Tijani, reportedly died. Reading the judgment, the trial judge, Justice Eni Esan, who had listened to the submissions of both the prosecuting and defence counsel, said the prosecution failed to convince the court beyond reasonable doubt that the defendants were guilty of murder and attempted murder. He noted that despite the fact that the defendants were not guilty of murder and attempted murder, the facts before the court were sufficient to convict them on the charge of conspiracy. Counsel to the first defendant.
The judge consequently, sentenced the defendants to six years imprisonment with the two years already spent in custody to be deducted. Speaking with journalists after the judgment, counsel to the first defendant, Olalekan Ojo, said his client would appeal the judgment. Lamidi, Saheed Kareem, Taiwo Tijani, Abu Kareem and Kazeem Kayode were accused of causing the death of Akintunde Oladipupo by shooting him and also attempted to kill Temitayo Agbaje on March 2, 2014.
