Funsho Williams murder case reopens

Firstclsaa newsline learnt that a suit seeking fresh investigations
into the murder of a late governorship aspirant in Lagos State, Funsho
Williams, was on Monday reopened before a Federal High Court in Lagos.
The applicant, Bashir Junaid, approached the court again after the
same suit had been struck out on April 29, 2015 by Justice Rita
Ofili-Ajumogobia for want of diligent prosecution.
The judge however allowed the suit to be returned onto the cause list
after entertaining a fresh motion and argument from the plaintiff's
counsel, Tunji Adesheye, on Monday.
Junaid, a cemetery attendant, who was arrested and detained by the
police during preliminary investigation into Williams' murder, filed
the suit seeking a mandamus order compelling the Inspector General of
Police to conduct fresh investigation with the possibility of a fresh
trial.
The applicant, who is seeking N5bn as exemplary damages, joined a
former Governor of Lagos State, Bola Tinubu, and 10 others as the
respondents.
Williams, who was strangled to death in his Dolphin Estate residence,
in Ikoyi, Lagos, on July 27, 2006, was a governorship aspirant on the
platform of the Peoples Democratic Party.
Junaid, in his 48-рaragraph ѕtаtеmеnt of сlаim, alleged that the
police disregarded his freely made statement, which could have
assisted them to know who killed Williams.
He claimed that the concrete evidence that he tendered was diѕcarded
by the Federal Central Invеѕtigаtiоnѕ Dераrtmеnt, Alagbon, Lagos.
Junaid, who alleged that Tinubu used his influence with the police to
exonerate himself, equally accused the police of compromise by
allegedly allowing the legal adviser to the All Progressives Congress,
Dr. Muiz Banire, to change his statement after he had been cautioned.
At the Monday's proceedings, Adesheye informed the court that in
compliance with an earlier order of the court before the suit was
struck out, his client had ensured personal service of the concurrent
writ of summons on the defendants that were outside the court's
jurisdiction.
The lawyer urged the court to grant the motion seeking to re-list the
suit in the interest of justice, saying the defendants would not be
prejudiced in anyway whatsoever if the request was granted.
But counsel for the 1st and 4th defendants, Kingson Uwandu, while
opposing Adesheye's submission, pointed out that the plaintiff had yet
to pay the N25, 000 fine placed on him by the court when the matter
was struck out.
Uwandu said it was improper for the plaintiff, who had failed to
comply with an order of the court, to turn around seeking a favour
from the same court.
But when probed by the court on when the order for the payment of the
N25, 000 fine was made against the plaintiff, Uwandu said he could not
remember because he was not with the case file.
Ofili-Ajumogobia, who eventually vacated the earlier cost of N25, 000
made against Junaid, also granted the prayer to enlist the suit.
Further hearing in the matter has been adjourned till September 29, 2015.
Firstclassnewsline.net