Grace Omachoko
The Lagos State High Court, has sentenced ASP Drambi Vandi, the police officer who killed Bolanle Raheem, a lawyer, to death by hanging.
After the adoption of final written addresses by parties in the suit, the court had, in July 2023, fixed Monday, 9th October, 2023 to deliver judgement.
Sitting at Tafawa Balewa Square, the presiding judge, Justice Ibironke Harrison, while delivering judgement on Monday, Ocober 9, 2023, convicted Vandi of a one-count charge of murder.
NEWSTODAYNG recalled that Vandi was indicted on January 16 on a count charge of murder which he pleaded not guilty.
The Lagos State Government alleged that the police officer shot the lawyer in the chest at Ajah Roundabout on the Lekki expressway in Lagos State on December 25, 2022, stating that the murder violates Section 223 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.
A police Inspector, Matthew Ameh, who was a colleague of Vandi, had told the court how the policeman shot the deceased on Christmas Day.
Ameh stated that on December 25, 2022, he was posted to Ajah Under Bridge with the defendant (Vandi) and another officer, Inspector Dimini.
The witness disclosed that the Divisional Police Officer had instructed them to go and protect lives and property, adding that their duty on December 25, at Ajah Under Bridge, was to conduct a stop-and-search operation.
He said: “We were armed while conducting our duty but we were instructed not to use our arms unless someone’s life or our lives were in danger.
“As we were at our duty post, Insp Dimini was in front, I was in the middle while Vandi was behind me.
“There was a Toyota car with no number plate which Inspector Dimini tried to flag down but it didn’t stop. I also flagged it down, it didn’t stop. The next thing I heard was a gunshot.
“I looked back and saw the screen of the car falling down. The next thing: a dark woman jumped down from the vehicle, held the defendant, shouting oga you have killed my sister.”