Funsho Williams: Prosecution seeks suspects’ fresh blood samples
APRIL 30, 2013
Funsho Williams
More than six years after the murder of a former Peoples Democratic Party’s governorship candidate in Lagos State, Mr. Funsho Williams, the prosecution is still asking for blood samples to confirm the culpability of suspects already charged with the offence.
The prosecution on Monday sought to extract fresh blood samples from six suspects, who were on March 1, 2013 arraigned before Justice Adeniyi Adebajo of a Lagos High Court, Igbosere.
The all-male suspects are Bulama Kolo, Musa Maina, David Cassidy, Tunani Sonani, Mustapha Kayode and Okponwasa Imariabie.
Williams, who was to contest the 2007 governorship election in Lagos, was murdered on July 27, 2006, at his residence, 34A, Corporation Drive, Dolphin Estate, Ikoyi.
The prosecuting counsel, Mrs. O.A Akin-Adesomoju said fresh blood samples of the suspects were needed to confirm the culpability of some of the suspects or to exonerate those who might not have case to answer in the trial.
A prosecution witness, Movie Oyokomino, told the court on Monday that the tests conducted on the former samples obtained from the suspects yielded inconclusive results.
Oyokomino is Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of forensics at the Force Headquarters, Abuja.
The witness also said Willam’s blood samples and the “vitreous humour” extracted from deceased’s eye had been destroyed due to epileptic power supply.
He added that the six accused men were arrested after two suspects earlier arrested for the murder were exonerated by the results of the DNA analysis carried out on their blood samples.
He said, “The Investigating Police Officer investigating the case later came back with suspects apprehended with the cell phone of the deceased, which was removed the day the incident occurred.
“We got a court order from the Magistrate’s Court to obtain blood samples of the new suspects along with those of the policemen who were attached to the deceased and his private security guard.
“Three of the suspects are police officers. We obtained the blood sample from the suspects while in detention. Samples were sent for DNA profile, which was reported inconclusive. This was reported to the prosecuting counsel who immediately set in motion to obtain fresh sample through a court order at the High Court.
“I was later informed that the judge at the time gave an order but I never saw the Certified True Copy till now. It was only recently that I learnt that the order could not be carried out because the presiding judge at that time died without signing the order she made.”
Counsel for the defendants, Agbara Okezie, had objected to the prayer seeking to extract fresh samples from the accused, noting that “it will be unfair to come through the back door to make another request.”
The judge adjourned till June 3 for further hearing.
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