The Lagos State Government on Friday hailed the verdict of the Supreme Court which upheld the judgment of a Lagos High Court sentencing the General Overseer of the Christian Praying Assembly, Chukwuemeka Ezeugo (popularly known as Rev. King) to death by hanging.
The apex court, in a lead judgment delivered by Justice Sylvester Ngwuta, dismissed the appeal filed by the clergy for lacking in merit, and held that the facts of the case were ”like what you see in a horror movie.”
Reacting to the verdict, the State Government, through the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Adeniji Kazeem, said the judgment was another confirmation of the seriousness of Governor Akinwunmi Ambode’s administration to be decisive in fighting crime in the state.
The Commissioner said: “This is just another confirmation that the government of his Excellency, Governor Akinwunmi Ambode is going to be very strong on fighting crime. Wherever a crime is committed, no matter how long it takes, the government of Lagos State will ensure that the perpetrators of those crimes face justice eventually.
“I salute the institution called the Supreme Court for this erudite judgment and I want to assure the public that we will continue and we will not relent in our fight to make Lagos a safer, secure and more prosperous state,” Mr Kazeem said.
In December 2015, the apex court, presided over by Justice Walter Onnoghen, had adjourned for judgment after entertaining arguments from counsel to prosecution and defence in the matter.
Kazeem, who led the prosecution team alongside Idowu Alakija, the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) and other senior counsel from the Lagos State Ministry of Justice, had urged the Supreme Court to dismiss the appeal and uphold the judgment of the lower courts.
