Judge Closes Case On Culpable Homicide

An Abuja High Court Judge, Justice Mudashiru Oniyangi, yesterday made good his threat to close the case filed by the FCT Police command against an ex-corporal for culpable homicide.

The office of the FCT Commissioner of Police, filed a one-count charge of culpable homicide against Ex-Cpl. Alexander Ijibula, punishable under Section 224 of the Penal Code.

Ijibula, 31, was alleged to have caused the death of Sgt. Samuel Solomon in 2008 in Gwagwalada Area Council, when he discharged bullets from an AK-47 rifle.

Justice Oniyangi had at the last sitting of the court on July 19, 2011, granted what he described as a last adjournment for the prosecution to produce the rifle the accused was said to have used.

At the resumed hearing on Tuesday, the prosecution counsel, Insp. Usman Jibrin, had again prayed the court for another adjournment, saying that the storekeeper of the exhibit room of the police was bereaved.

Jibrin, who did not mention the name of the exhibit room keeper, prayed for another adjournment to enable him produce the rifle in court.

“My Lord, it is with regret that the prosecution will once again ask for another adjournment. The exhibit room keeper lost his step mother and has not been to work since last week.”

But Justice Oniyangi after checking his records dismissed the application for another adjournment.

“How long will it take you to produce the rifle? I have granted nine adjournments in the last six months at your instance.

“You always come back to tell the court different stories. Today the exhibit room keeper could not make it because he lost his step-mother.

“The last time it was his step-father who died. If I grant another adjournment to you, may be the exhibit room keeper would lose his step-sister.

“From all indications, I can see that the Police do not have any exhibit to bring to court. They are taking the court for a ride.

“The court has given the Police reasonable time within which to do their job. The attitude of the prosecution has not shown that it has any exhibit to bring to court.”