OMOBOLANLE RAHEEM'S DEATH: COURT FIXES APRIL 3 TO RULE ON DRAMBI VANDI'S NO-CASE SUBMISSION

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By Aishat Momoh. O.

A Lagos State High Court sitting at the Tafawa Balewa Square (TBS) Annex, Lagos Island on Monday, fixed April 3 to rule on the no-case submission in the trial of Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP), Drambi Vandi, who allegedly killed a Lagos-based lawyer, Omobolanle Raheem, on Christmas day.

Justice Ibironke Harrison adjourned the case for ruling after the prosecution and defense counsels had adopted their final written addresses.

Defendant no case submission was dated the 20th day of February 2023 while the prosecution reply was dated 24th February 2023. The defendant thereafter, filed a reply on point of law dated 27th February 2023.

The defense counsel, Mr. Adetokunbo Odutola, in adopting his final written address on a no-case submission, urged the court to dismiss the suit and discharge the defendant.

Odutola argued that the ballistic report says that the gun did not match with the bullet that was shot.

He also 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.

With these instances and many more, the defense is contending that the prosecution has not made out a prima facie case against the defendant to warrant him enter defense.

The prosecution lead by the Attorney General of Lagos State, Moyosore Onigbanjo, however, filed a response saying that, the defendant should come up to defend himself in the case.

The state government preferred a one-count charge of murder contrary to Section 223 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015 against the defendant and arraigned him for the lawyer’s death.

Recall that on February 15, 2023 Mr.Adetokunbo Odutola, had told the court hearing the murder trial that he will be filing a no-case application in a bid to quash the criminal charge.

He made it known shortly after the lagos attorney general closed the case of the state governments upon the discharge of his last witness.

After listening to the arguments, Justice Harrison adjourned the matter till April 3 for Ruling.