Alleged cyber stalking: Court to rule Feb 29 on document indicting ex Ijede LCDA chair in murder incident
Ayodele Olalere
Justice Olayinka Faaji of a Federal High Court, Lagos, on Tuesday, fixed February 29, 2024 to rule on the admissibility of a document allegedly indicting the former chairman of Ijede Local Council Development Area, LCDA, Fatiu Salisu in a murder incident.
Salisu had dragged Ikorodu based APC chieftain and owner of Western Funeral Home, Oluwatosin Onamade, before the court for allegedly accusing him as the mastermind of an attack on him (Onamade) in his office on April 16, 2021, at Ijede in the build up to the 2021 local government primary election in Lagos State in which Onamade contested against Salisu who then was gunning for a second term in office.
The attack led to the death of one of the staff of the defendant, Godfrey Ifeanyi.
The first prosecution witness, a Chief Superintendent of Police, ASP, Omaka Udodinma, had, on Monday during cross examination by counsel to the defendant, Adedayo Osijo, admitted he was not aware the petitioner had been indicted by one of the murder suspects, Shittu Michael Olawale, in his statement before the police of being the sponsor of the fatal attack on the defendant’s office.
At Tuesday’s continuation of the trial, Fatiu who was the second witness and under examination by his counsel, Omotayo Olatubosun, told the court that the defendant went on social media platforms such as whatsap and granted press interviews accusing him of sponsoring the attack.
He said the alleged cyber stalking and defamation of his character by the defendant led to him losing the chance to return as the chairman of Ijede Local Council Development Area LCDA, for a second term as leaders of his political party asked him to go and clear his name before the court..
However, counsel to the defendant, Adedayo Osijo, sought to tender before the court the confessional statement of one of the suspects involved and arrested in connection with the attack, Shittu Michael Olawale, where he alleged they were sent by the petitioner to attack the defendant in his office.
The move was objected by counsel to the petitioner on the ground that the document was not made by the defendant himself and therefore was not relevant to the matter.
Justice Faaji also questioned the relevance of the statement to the matter
In his response, ounsel to the defendant argued that the confessional statement was relevant to the matter as it is a public document and the suspects specifically stated the involvement of the petitioner in the attack, and therefore could be tendered.
He further argued that once a document has become a public document, it is admissible in a matter related to it whether it is a criminal or civil suit.
The judge therefore adjourned till February 29, 2024 to rule on whether the document can be admitted as exhibit in the matter.
He also ordered the counsels to file their addresses on the point of law within seven days.
