Law News
Judge’s absence stalls Funsho William’s murder case

A Federal High Court in Lagos has further adjourned till February 9, 2016 to hear a suit seeking fresh investigations into the murder of a one-time Peoples Democratic Party governorship aspirant in Lagos State, Funsho Williams.

The case, which had been scheduled for hearing on Tuesday, could not go on because the presiding judge, Justice Rita Ofili-Ajumogobia, did not sit.

A new date was consequently announced by the court’s registrar.

Williams was strangled to death on July 27, 2006, in his Dolphin Estate residence in Ikoyi, Lagos.

The suit seeking fresh investigations into his murder was filed by a cemetery attendant, Bashir Junaid, who was detained by the police during preliminary investigation into the murder.

Junaid is seeking an order of mandamus compelling the Inspector General of Police to re-open investigation into William’s murder.

He is also seeking damages in the sum of N5bn for what he termed as “illegal detention and psychological trauma.”

He claimed that the police disregarded his freely made statement, which he said could have assisted the investigators to know the actual killer of Williams.

The 11 defendants in the suit include a former governor of Lagos State, Bola Tinubu; the legal adviser to the All Progressives Congress, Dr. Muiz Banire (SAN); a former Inspector General of Police, Mr. Sunday Ehindero; Mrs. Modupe Shasore; Mr. Babatunde Edu; Mr. Dele Alake; and Henry Ajomale.

Both Banire and Ehindero have however filed preliminary objections, asking the court to either dismiss Junaid’s case or to expunge their names as defendants, saying the application failed to establish any reasonable cause of action against them.

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