Kudirat’s daughter, Hafsat may sue Al-Mustapha

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A non-governmental organisation, Kudirat Initiative for Democracy may institute a civil legal action against Maj. Hamza Al-Mustapha, the former chief security officer to the late head of state who was set free by the Court of Appeal over the assassination of Kudirat Abiola, wife of the winner of the June 12, 1993 presidential election, Chief MK0 Abiola.

Al-Mustapha who had been sentenced to death on January 30, 2012, by a Lagos High Court over the murder of Kudirat was discharged and acquitted by the Appeal Court on Friday.

But KIND, which expressed “shock and disappointment” at the judgment, said in a statement on Saturday in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital by its Executive Director, Amy Oyekunle, that it would obtain a copy of the judgment and commission a team of legal experts to study its details with a view to “determining whether a civil action is advisable at this point.”

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The organisation founded in memory of Kudirat by her daughter, Hafsat Abiola-Costello stressed that it “vehemently disagrees” with the court’s verdict.

The statement entitled “Is this the face of justice in Nigeria?,” read, “While KIND will obtain this judgment and commission a team of legal experts to study it in detail, with a view to determining whether a civil action is advisable at this point, KIND respectfully acknowledges but vehemently disagrees with the judgment of the Court of Appeal.

“KIND hereby expresses shock and disappointment at the judgment, 2013, which overturned the judgment of the High Court, which had found Al-Mustapha, one time Chief Security Officer to Gen. Sani Abacha, and Lateef Shofolahan guilty of the June 4, 1996 murder of Kudirat in Lagos, during the reign of terror of Abacha.”

KIND stated that the gruesome murder of Kudirat in 1996 and the supreme sacrifice made by many other Nigerians, including Chief MKO Abiola and Alfred Rewane, to restore democracy to Nigeria.

“The judgment of Justice Amina Augie (presiding justice of the Court of Appeal’s Panel), Justice Rita Pemu, and Justice Fatima Akinbami, reversing the judgment of Justice Mojisola Dada, has now discarded that court’s findings and rejected the court’s reasoning,” it added.

The group said it was neither seeking vengeance nor retribution but insisted that the killers of Kudirat must be found.