The Lagos High Court, situated at the iconic Tafawa Balewa Square on Lagos Island, handed down a death sentence by hanging to Drambi Vandi, a suspended Assistant Superintendent of Police, for the murder of Mrs. Omobolanle Raheem, a pregnant lawyer based in Lagos.
Justice Ibironke Harrison, presiding over the case, delivered this verdict on a Monday.
Justice Harrison’s decision stemmed from her conviction that the prosecution had conclusively proven Vandi’s guilt in the murder case.
She also emphasized that Vandi had shot the victim at close range. It’s worth noting that back in April, the court had dismissed Vandi’s “no case submission” and compelled him to present his defense, as a ‘prima facie’ case had been established against him.
During the proceedings, Vandi’s defense counsel, Adetokunbo Odutola, argued several points, including the absence of eyewitnesses who had seen Vandi fire the fatal shot and the ballistic report’s inconclusiveness regarding the bullet’s origin.
Furthermore, there was a discrepancy between the pathologist’s testimony and the prosecution’s account of where the fatal shot had struck the victim.
On the opposing side, the prosecution, led by the Attorney General of Lagos State, Moyosore Onigbanjo (SAN), countered these arguments and insisted that their case against the defendant had been successfully established.
Further details will be provided later.
