Lagos State Governorship Aspirant, Special Adviser Arraigned For Murder

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The atmosphere of the Ebute Meta Chief Magistrate’s Court was tense on Tuesday when a former Commissioner for Rural Development and a governorship aspirant of the All Progressives Congress, Tola Kasali, 62, was arraigned for murder.

Arraigned with him were the Special Adviser to the Lagos State Governor on Politics and Legislative Matters, Musiliu Folami, 64, and Kasali’s Chief Security Officer, Tobun Abiodun, 38.

The court was filled with party loyalists, supporters and family members of the accused persons, as many others stood outside the court.

They were arraigned on four counts bordering on murder and unlawful possession of firearms.
The police said the men conspired to kill one Musiliu Lamidi on November 9, 2014, around 2pm at Eko Tourism Hotel, Akodo, in the Ibeju-Lekki area of the state.



The police added that they were found in possession of a pump-action gun, with number 6381, without a valid licence issued by the appropriate authorities.

The corpse of the deceased was said to have been found on the premises of one of the defendants.

The offences were said to be punishable under sections 231, 221 and 409 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011 and Section 27 (b)(1) of the Firearms Act, Cap 28 Laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 2011.

Their pleas were not taken by the court for the offences.

However, a senior state counsel, Femi Adamson, who came from the Office of the Attorney General of the Federation, invoked a section of the law to take over prosecution from the police.

He said, “I am a senior state counsel and I want to take over the prosecution of this case. This is pursuant to Section 211 (1b), (2) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, as amended.”

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