The Lagos Magistrates Court sitting in Yaba on Wednesday released a 15-year-old (name withheld) accused of killing her father’s friend, Babatunde Ishola, 51, who allegedly attempted to rape her.
The court released the teenager based on legal advice of the Lagos State Director of Public Prosecution that the case lacked ingredients of murder.
Delivering judgement, Magistrate Philip Ojo said that after consideration of facts, it was duly decided that there were insufficient facts to establish a prima facie case of murder against the suspect contrary to Section 222 of the Criminal Law, Cap. C17, Vol.3 Laws of Lagos State.
The court ruled that ingredients required to prove the offence of murder against the suspect were not all present from the facts of the case, and that clear intention to kill or cause grievous bodily harm to the deceased cannot be established.
Consequently, the magistrate discharged and acquitted the suspect of murder charge.
The teenager was represented by the Lagos State Office of the Public Defender (OPD) throughout the process.
A count charge was brought against her for stabbing Mr Ishola to death with a knife on March 7 at Nwadolu Street, Aboru in Alimosho Local Government Area of the state.
The girl was thereafter remanded at the Correctional Home for Girls, Idi-Araba and case adjourned for legal advice of the Lagos State Director of Public Prosecutions.
Speaking on the matter, the Director, Lagos OPD, Babajide Martins, expressed satisfaction with the decision of the court to release the girl.
He assured other indigent people being represented in various cases that the OPD has been re-organised and re-engineered to deliver first class free legal services in line with the current administration philosophy of better security and governance to all residents irrespective of gender and religion.
The director appealed to those that have suffered any form of rights denial, abuse and violence to visit any of the office of OPD nearest to them for free legal service.
Martins assured members of the public that the office is still attending to the public during the lockdown based on the governor’s directive.
The girl’s parents, Ojo Taiwo and Funke, expressed deep appreciation to the state government and OPD for coming to their rescue.
According to them, without such institution established by Lagos for indigents, they would have lost hope of getting justice.
