From Adewumi Ademiju Ado Ekiti
As a court sitting in Ado Ekiti today discharged and acquitted seven persons accused of murder, the Ekiti State the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship aspirant, Dr Wole Oluyede has called on the judiciary not to relent on its efforts to painstakingly look into the roots of cases brought before it to ensure justice for innocent citizens.
Oluyede noted that the efforts of the judiciary at digging deep into the roots of cases brought before it remain the only hope of innocent citizens.
The aspirant therefore congratulated the seven persons who regained freedom over alleged murder of one Chief Omolafe Aderiye.
The seven accused persons who have been standing trial for alleged complicity in the murder of the former State Chairman of Ekiti Chapter, National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) Omolafe Aderiye, were today set free by the trial judge Justice Adekanye Lekan Ogunnoye after three years the case lasted.
The late Aderiye was murdered by unknown gunmen on September 25, 2014, at his private motor park, Lafe Ade Transport Services at Ijigbo Road-about, Ado Ekiti.
The discharged and acquitted persons are Rotimi Olanbiwonninu a k a Mentilo, Adebayo Aderiye a k a Apase, Sola Durodola, Kayode Ajayi, Oso Farotimi, a k a Oso Polo, and Sola Adenijo a k a Solar.
Delivering his judgment, the trial judge Ogunnoye held that the police failed to investigate the alibi of the accused persons which proved vital to the case of the prosecution.
He ruled that the accused persons succeeded in convincing the court that they were not at the scene of the crime which the prosecution failed to rebut.
The judge held that “inconsistencies in the evidence of the prosecution witnesses have created a doubt. Where two or more witnesses give contradictory evidence, it will be illogical to believe their testimonies,” he said.
No sooner than the judgment was delivered than entire premises of the court packed full of families, associates and supporters of the defendants erupted in wild jubillation.
