In a recent development at the Ikeja Special Offences Court, a significant legal verdict was reached. Mr. Opeyemi Oladele, who had been facing charges of robbing a woman at gunpoint, was acquitted and discharged of all accusations by Justice Mojisola Dada.
Justice Dada, in delivering her judgment, cited a critical failure on the part of the prosecution to substantiate the two-count charge against the defendant. The charges, which included conspiracy to commit robbery and armed robbery, were not sufficiently proven during the trial.
One notable deficiency in the case was the absence of crucial evidence, specifically, a locally made single-barrel gun allegedly in the possession of the defendant. This piece of evidence, despite being pivotal to the prosecution’s argument, was not presented in court.
Moreover, Justice Dada pointed out the absence of the purported victim as a witness in the case, even though she was initially listed as the primary prosecution witness. This oversight weakened the prosecution’s case further.
After a thorough evaluation of the evidence presented, the court determined that the charges against the defendant lacked the necessary strength to hold up. Consequently, Justice Dada issued a verdict of discharge and acquittal for Mr. Opeyemi Oladele.
The state counsel, Mrs. Abiodun Oluwatoni, had alleged that the defendant, along with two other individuals who remained at large, had committed the crimes on June 12, 2018, at around 10:00 p.m. in the vicinity of Anibaba Street, Alapere, Lagos. The prosecution’s account stated that the victim had raised an alarm, leading to the apprehension of the defendant by patrolling police officers, while the other two suspects managed to escape.
The alleged offences were said to have contravened the Criminal Laws of Lagos State, 2015, and had been brought before the court for resolution. However, due to the lack of compelling evidence and key witnesses, the case against Mr. Opeyemi Oladele has now come to a conclusion with his acquittal and discharge.
