Judge’s absence stalls Funsho William’s murder case

A Federal High Court in Lagos has further adjourned till February 9, 2016 to hear a suit seeking fresh investigations into the murder of a one-time governorship aspirant in Lagos State, Funsho Williams.

The case which was slated for hearing on Tuesday could not go on as the presiding judge, Justice Rita Ofili-Ajumogobia, did not sit.

A new date was consequently announced by the court’s registrar.

Williams, who was a governorship aspirant on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party, was strangled to death on July 27, 2006 in his Dolphin Estate residence, in Ikoyi, Lagos.

The suit seeking fresh investigations into his murder was filed by a cemetery attendant, Bashir Junaid, who was detained by the police during preliminary investigation into the murder.

Junaid is seeking an order of mandamus compelling the Inspector General of Police to re-open investigation into William’s murder.

He is also seeking damages in the sum of N5bn for what he termed illegal detention and psychological trauma.

He claimed that the police disregarded his freely made statement, which could have assisted them to know the actual killer of Williams.

The 11 defendants in the suit include a former governor of Lagos State, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu; the legal adviser to the All Progressives Congress, Dr. Muiz Banire (SAN); a former Inspector General of Police, Mr. Sunday Ehindero; Mrs. Modupe Shasore; Mr. Babatunde Edu; Mr. Dele Alake; and Henry Ajomale

Also joined as defendants are the Attorney General of the Federation; and the Lagos State Commissioner of Police.

In his 48-paragraph statement of claims, Junaid alleged that the concrete evidence which he tendered was discarded by the Federal Central Invеѕtigаtiоnѕ Dераrtmеnt, Alagbon, Lagos.

He also accused the police of compromising the case by allegedly allowing Banire, to change his statement after he had been cautioned

Juniad further alleged that Tinubu used his influence to exonerate himself from William’s murder.

He urged Justice Ofili-Ajumogobia to order the police to re-open investigation into the case with the view to conducting fresh criminal trial.

But Banire and Ehindero had, filed preliminary objections, asking the court to either dismiss Junaid’s case or to expunge their names as defendants, saying the application failed to establish any reasonable cause of action against them.