The Digest:
The Supreme Court has dismissed the long-standing murder case brought by the Lagos State Government against retired Major Hamza Al-Mustapha, former Chief Security Officer to the late Head of State General Sani Abacha. Al-Mustapha was accused of involvement in the 1996 murder of Alhaja Kudirat Abiola, wife of the acclaimed winner of the annulled June 12, 1993, presidential election. The court ruled that Lagos State had abandoned the case, having taken no legal action for over nine years despite being granted permission in 2014 to reopen the trial. With no state representation at the hearing, the five-member panel unanimously dismissed the matter for lack of prosecution.
Key Points:
- The dismissal brings a definitive, legal end to a nearly three-decade-long high-profile murder trial that captivated national attention.
- It represents a significant judicial closure for Al-Mustapha, who was previously sentenced to death by a Lagos High Court in 2012 before being acquitted by the Court of Appeal in 2013.
- The ruling raises questions about institutional commitment and procedural diligence in prosecuting historic crimes involving powerful figures.
- It leaves the assassination of Kudirat Abiola, a pivotal event in Nigeria’s democratic struggle, without a legally convicted perpetrator.
- The outcome underscores how legal technicalities and prosecutorial inertia can ultimately determine the resolution of landmark cases.
Sources: Nigerian Tribune
