Court Frees Omisore, Chides Police
'I've forgiven my detractors'
From Ademola Adeyemo in Ibadan and Hammed Shittu in Osogbo
After about 12 months of detention and trial, freedom, like a gale, yesterday blew the way of Senator Iyiola Omisore. Citing "contradictions and inconsistencies" as well as insufficient evidence in the prosecution's case, an Ibadan High Court discharged and acquitted him on a two-count charge of conspiracy and murder of former Federal Attorney-General and Justice Minister, the late Chief Bola Ige.
Omisore's acquittal yesterday pulled the curtains on one leg of the over two-year long trial of Chief Ige who was murdered in his Bodija, Ibadan home on December 23, 2001. Currently 11 other suspects, including Mr. Damola Gbenga Adebayo (alias Fryo), are standing trial for the same matter at another high court in the Oyo State capital.
Setting free the senator and former Osun State Deputy Governor in a three-hour judgement, Justice Akinola Sanda, sharply criticised the prosecution for slipshod handling of the investigation. He declared: "Having regard to the myriad of contradictions and inconsistencies in the case of the prosecution and on the totality of evidence which is insufficient, the charge of conspiracy to murder cannot be sustained. The accused is hereby discharged and acquitted of the (charges of) conspiracy to murder."
It was apparently a last laugh for Omisore who was first arrested on April 11, last year concerning the Ige murder case. He was granted bail on May 30, only to be re-arrested 56 days later. He had been in detention ever since, with the court having turned down many bail applications by him. But during the 56 days he enjoyed freedom, Omisore who won the senatorial election of April, last year from jail, was inaugurated alongside other members of the current Senate.
Justice Sanda blamed the police for doing a slipshod job in their investigation, saying: "The investigation of the police leading to the prosecution of some people is slipshod and less to write home about."
He added: "Apart from the limited arrears which the police mapped out as the central focus of their investigation, there are other important and central focuses of their investigation, there are other important and useful areas to which they ought to have beamed their searchlights in this type of a case. The entire areas of activities, involvement and connections of the deceased must be thoroughly investigated to unravel the mystery behind the killing."
The judge reviewed the evidence provided by both Chief Debo Akande (SAN), leading to the prosecution and Anthony Idigbe (SAN), who headed the defence team. He blamed the prosecution for its inability to address the issues as it concerned some suspects mentioned in connection with the killing.
Particularly, the trial judge carpeted the prosecution for failing to address the issues of suspects like Bosun, whom the son of the late Chief Ige, Muyiwa, said recruited private guards for his father, the five suspects mentioned by former Osun State Governor, Bisi Akande, and the Alliance for Democracy (AD)-Afeni-fere connection. According to him, the police failed to investigate these angles, but rather concentrated on the political angle."
He added: "There are reasonable doubts and suggestions of probabilities leading to the circumstances under which Chief Bola Ige was murdered and who the culprits are."
On the issue of the controversial interview granted by Omisore in a national tabloid, the court held that the prosecution failed to produce the tape of the interview in order to establish the authentication of the statements made by the accused persons that "Ige would have been killed."
Justice Sanda also described the trial as a "very important case of murder which deserved extreme care and diligence in its investigation, such that it ought to have been thoroughly and extensively investigated."
However, the judge had appreciative words in his judgement for the press, which he lauded for "the enviable and good job done in disseminating the report of the proceedings to the whole world."
Immediately after the judgement was concluded, relatives and friends of Omisore jumped up in jubilation. Omisore himself, wearing orange-blue guinea brocade attire, shed tears of joy. He was later driven off about 1.20p.m in a Cherokee jeep marked OS109A01.
Later yesterday in his native town of Ile-Ife where he was treated to a heroic welcome, Omisore declared that he had forgiven all his political detractors.
Addressing a mammoth crowd at the palace of the Ooni of Ife, the senator, savouring his judicial acquittal, said: "My incarceration has made me move closer to God, and to pardon all those that participated in my ordeal."
Omisore, who arrived at the palace of the Ooni of Ife at about 5.30p.m, in a Mercedes Benz jeep with registration number OSGH 20, added: "My main concern now is how to move Osun State and Nigeria forward."
He thanked all his kinsmen and political associates for sticking with him during his detention, vowing that he would not let them down in the task of moving the state to greater heights.
Welcoming Omisore to his palace, the Ooni, Oba Okunade Sijuwade, described the Nigerian judiciary as fair and just.
According to him, the Ibadan High Court judgement which exonerated Omisore was a landmark in the political history of Nigeria.
Oba Sijuwade cited the recent judgement by an Abuja High Court between the Federal Government and the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) over fuel prices as another verdict that saved the nation from disaster.
His words: "This judgement has brought relief to the people of Nigeria. Senator Omisore was properly investigated and examined before he was discharged and acquitted."
Oba Sijuwade added: "If Omisore is found wanting, the judge would not have discharged and acquitted him."
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