Lagos gets S/Court nod to retry Al-Mustapha for murder of late Abiola’s wife, Kudirat

Not pleased with the July 2013 decision of an Appeal Court that set Hamza Al-Mustapha free, Lagos State government has secured the nod of the Supreme Court to have him retried.

Al-Mustapha, former Chief Security Officer (CSO) to late Head of State, Sani Abacha, had been accused of leading a killer gang responsible for the murder of Kudirat Abiola, wife of late business mogul and politician, MKO Abiola.

Ripples Nigeria gathered on Thursday that Nigeria’s acting Chief Justice, Walter Onnoghen, gave the consent of the court for a retrial of the murder case. Onnoghen, it is reported, held that Lagos State’s application for the leave was successful since it was not challenged.

The Supreme Court in its ruling held, “In the circumstance, the applicant, the Lagos State Government, is granted the leave to appeal the July 12, 2013 judgment of the Court of Appeal, Lagos.

“The would-be appellant is therefore given 30 days within which to file its notice of appeal.”

It added that, “The date for the hearing of the appeal shall be fixed upon receipt of this notice by the court.”

Kudirat Abiola’s murder took place on June 4, 1996. For his alleged role, Al-Mustapha was incarcerated for over a decade while the trial lasted.

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