THURSDAY’s guilty verdict of a Kwara State High Court slammed five suspects arrested in connection with the 2018 robbery incident that took place in the ancient town of Offa in the Offa Local Government Area of Kwara State that led to the loss of lives may have unsettled the political camp of Dr Bukola Saraki.
Some of the former Senate President’s coteries and media aides have taken to different social media platforms, including Facebook and WhatsApp, to express their dissatisfaction with the judgment.
Previously, six before one died in custody; the convicts were linked to Senator Bukola Saraki, according to a PremiumTimes report of 6 June 2018. The news platform reported that one of the suspects was spotted at Mr Saraki’s daughter’s wedding ceremony.
Meanwhile, expressing his dissatisfaction over the verdict, Tajudeen Gboyega Alabi, an Offa-born Special Assistant to Bukola Saraki on Security Matters wrote on his Facebook page that the five suspects sentenced to death by the Kwara State High Court are innocent of the offences.
Another Sarakite, as Senator Saraki’s ardent followers are fondly called, Folorunso Abdulrasheed, said the convicts knew nothing about the unfortunate incident and that the news about their conviction was to distract Kwarans. He insisted that the judgment will be appealed.
Mubaraq Fatimah faulted the judgment saying they were sentenced to death by hanging because one of them was a Sarakite. She added that she was happy because their lawyer said the judgment would be appealed.
Recall that Justice Haleemah Salman of the Kwara State High Court found the five individuals guilty of illegal possession of firearms, armed robbery, and culpable homicide. The judge held that the offences were punishable by death.
The judgment lasted three and half hours and Justice Salman held that all evidence submitted by the prosecuting team points to the guilt of the defendants
The judgment came six years after the terrible incident, but many have said the court’s verdict was well-considered.
Eighteen-Eleven Media