A Lagos High Court has set Monday, October 9, as the day it will deliver judgment in the case of police officer Darambi Vandi, who is charged with shooting dead Lagos-based lawyer Mrs Omobolanle Raheem on Christmas Day.
The court, sitting at Tafawa Balewa Square, scheduled the judgment date on July 13 after adopting final written addresses by the parties involved in the lawsuit.
Vandi was charged with murder on January 16, but he pleaded not guilty.
The court granted an accelerated hearing on the case.
The Lagos State Government alleges that the defendant shot Raheem in the chest on December 25, 2022, at Ajah Roundabout, on the Lekki-Expressway in Lagos State.
According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), murder contravenes Section 223 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.
The prosecution team led by Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr Moyosore Onigbanjo, called a total of 11 witnesses including eight police officers.
The other prosecution witnesses are two eyewitnesses and a pathologist. Among the prosecution witnesses is Insp. Matthew Ameh, who allegedly worked with the defendant at the time of the alleged murder.
The prosecution closed its case on February 25. On February 28, the defendant, through his counsel Mr. Gbenro Gbadamosi, filed an application praying the court to quash the charge against him.
Gbadamosi argued that evidence given by prosecution witnesses were inconsistent and did not link the defendant to the alleged murder. On April 3, the court, however, dismissed the no-case submission.
Justice Ibironke Harrison held that the prosecution established sufficient oral and documentary evidence linking the defendant to the alleged crime, which required an explanation from him.
Harrison added that evidence by the defendant would shed light on what happened.
On May 31, the defendant gave evidence and closed his case. His counsel told the court that Vandi was the sole defense witness.
On July 13, the parties adopted their written addresses, and the court reserved judgment until October 9.
