A-29-year-old Ibrahim Yusuf has been set free. He was standing trial for alleged attempted murder and causing grievous bodily harm on an official of Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) in Lagos.
Justice Oyindamola Ogala Lagos State High Court, Ikeja, acquitted and discharged the commercial driver charged with alleged stabbing death of an official of LASTMA, Olatunde Victor Awotola.
The indigene of Ibadan, Oyo State, was charged to court on April 29, 2022 for alleged attempted murder and causing grievous bodily harm on an officer on duty.
Delivering the judgement, the court stated that the prosecution failed to prove two counts preferred against him by the Lagos State Government.
According to the judge, there was no documentary evidence presented by the sole prosecution witness, neither was there any evidence of reporting the incident at the Police Station.
Recall that the defendant was accused of attacking the official when he was trying to arrest him on February 12, 2022, at Kosoko, Ojodu area of Lagos.
Allegation by LASTMA officials had it that the defendant ran into trouble with the law because he was obstructing vehicular movements along the route when the said official, alongside other officers of LASTMA, attempted to impound his vehicle.
The accused was said to have reached for a knife, which he used to stab the victim in the head and neck, abandoned his vehicle and ran away.
On Monday [today], Counsel to the State, A.O. Azeez, presented the sole prosecution witness in the case, while Bidemi Ademola-Bello represented the defendant before the judge gave the verdict.
According to the judge, “After considering the entire evidence, the prosecution failed to establish all ingredients of the offences.”
