Breaking News Court Sentences Police Officer Who Killed Lawyer At Check Point To Death
Lagos State High Court has sentenced Drambi Vandi, a police officer to death by hanging for killing Bolanle Raheem, a lawyer at a checkpoint in the state.
The former Inspector-General of Police, IGP Usman Alkali Baba, had recommended the immediate suspension of Drambi Vandi, an Assistant Superintendent of Police, attached to the Ajah Divisional Headquarters of the Lagos State Police Command, after he was found responsible for the shooting and killing of Barrister Omobolanle Raheem.
The IGP had noted that the recommendation for the suspension of the officer was in line with the internal disciplinary processes of the Force and part of creating an enabling environment for necessary legal procedures to uphold justice in the case without interference.
A one-count charge was filed against ASP Drambi Vandi for the murder of the lawyer.
Vandi appeared had before the Chief Magistrate Court, Yaba, a day after the Police Service Commission approved his suspension following the recommendation by the Inspector General of Police (IGP).
The charge filed against the police officer reads “That you ASP Drambi Vandi on the 25th day of December 2022, at Ajah Road, along the Lekki Expressway, Lagos, unlawfully killed one Omobolanle Raheem by shooting the deceased in the chest contrary to Section 223 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State 2015.”
With the charge, the Attorney General of Lagos State, who appeared before the Chief Magistrate Court, Yaba, applied for the remand of the defendant pursuant to Section 264 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Law of Lagos, 2015.
The Attorney-General appeared with the Solicitor General of Lagos State, Ms. Titilayo Shitta-Bey; and the Director of Public Prosecutions, Dr. Babajide Martin’s.
The Attorney General told Chief Magistrate, Miss Adeola Olatunbosun that the basis for the remand is to allow the police conclude its investigations into the matter.
The magistrate granted the request to remand the defendant at the Ikoyi Correctional Centre and ordered that the case file be duplicated and sent to the Director of Public Prosecution, Dr. Jide Martins for legal advice.
The matter was later transfered to the Lagos State High Court for trial of the police officer.
Justice Ibironke Harrison of the Lagos State High Court sitting at the Tafawa Balewa Square (TBS), on Monday, convicted and sentenced suspended Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Drambi Vandi to death by hanging for the murder of a Lagos-based lawyer, Mrs Omobolanle Raheem.
Justice Harrison handed down the verdict after holding that the prosecution had proven its case against the suspect beyond all reasonable doubt.
The Judge, in the judgment that lasted for over two hours, held that it was only the convict that had the opportunity to commit the crime even though no eyewitness saw him fire the shot.
The court also held that the evidence of the 11 witnesses who testified for the prosecution was credible and convincing enough to convict the suspended Police officer.
Justice Harrison, therefore, sentenced the convict to death, stating tha: “You are to be hung by the neck until you are dead. May God have mercy on your soul.”
The Lagos State government had arraigned Vandi before the court for allegedly shooting to death the 41-year-old pregnant lawyer at the Ajah underbridge checkpoint on December 25, 2022.
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