By Olasukanmi Akoni

lagos—Lagos State government, yesterday, said it is still pursuing the case against Major Hamza Al-Mustpaha and Alhaji Lateef Shofolahan, who were discharged and acquitted by an Appeal Court over the murder of Alhaja Kudirat Abiola, saying the case was pending in Supreme Court

Kudirat Abiola

Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Ade Ipaye disclosed this yesterday in Alausa, Ikeja, at a briefing on the activities of his ministry in the last one year.

Ipaye explained, “We have filed an appeal to the Supreme Court and the appeal is yet to come up. It is for that reason that we have not witnessed any update of the case.

“It is still pending in the appellate court and as soon as it is called up, residents of Lagos will be aware of what happens from there on.”

It will be recalled that the state government had earlier filed an appeal at the Supreme Court against the judgment of the Court of Appeal which discharged and acquitted Al-Mustpaha and Shofolahan, absolving them of any guilt in the murder of Alhaja Kudirat Abiola who was shot dead in Lagos on June 4, 1996.

Ipaye explained that after a careful study of the two judgments of the Court of Appeal, the government concluded that there were grounds for appeal.

He said the step was taken to ensure that the victim’s family, the defendants and the society were not deprived of the last window of opportunity provided by the constitution for the resolution of the case.