Lagos withdraws murder charge against Yoruba Nation agitator

 

The Directorate of Public Prosecution struck out the murder charge due to lack of evidence.

The Lagos State Ministry of Justice has struck out the murder charge filed against one of the arrested Yoruba Nation agitators, Tajudeen Bakare.

 

The police arrested Mr Bakare and 47 others during the July 3 Yoruba Nation rally.

 

They were charged to court for murder, unlawful assembly, unlawful society and conduct likely to cause the breach of public peace, PREMIUM TIMES reported.

 

The police charged Mr Bakare for killing Jumoke Oyeleke, a 25-year-old trader who was hit by a stray bullet while the police were dispersing the agitators at the rally.

 

Mr Bakare was accused of being in possession of a Beretta pistol and two live ammunition with which he allegedly killed Ms Oyeleke.

 

But the Directorate of Public Prosecution on Wednesday struck out the murder charge due to lack of evidence.

Speaking with PREMIUM TIMES, Supo Ojo, the counsel to Ilana Omo Oodua, said other charges are still in place but the murder charge against Mr Bakare has been removed.

“The murder charge has been removed by the Directorate of Public Prosecution because there was nothing in the police investigation to confirm that the man killed anybody.

 

“The police were just playing pranks, they were trying to shift responsibility for the death of that lady they killed,” Mr Ojo said.

 

The lawyer to the group said they have witness’ account and the coroner’s proceeding, which confirmed the cause of death.

 

“We will get to the root of the matter. We will hold the police accountable for that,” he said.

 

Ms Oyeleke was killed by a stray bullet during the rally as police officers fired guns and tear gas canisters to disperse the crowd. The police, however, denied responsibility for the death, saying their officers did not “fire a single live bullet” at the rally.

PREMIUM TIMES also reported how Mr Bakare remained in custody due to the murder charge while 47 other agitators were released on bail.

Following the new development, the counsel to the group confirmed that he has now been released from custody.

 

Mr Ojo said following the transmission of DPP’s advice to the magistrate court, he was granted bail.