NIGERIA/FILE: Lagos court sentences Hamza Al-Mustapha, former chief security officer to Sanni Abacha to die by hanging for Kudirat Abiola killing

Record ID: 235483

  • Title: NIGERIA/FILE: Lagos court sentences Hamza Al-Mustapha, former chief security officer to Sanni Abacha to die by hanging for Kudirat Abiola killing
  • Date: 31st January 2012
  • Summary: HAIJIA KUDIRAT ABIOLA, SENIOR WIFE OF MOSHOOD ABIOLA, WATCHING TELEVSION
  • Embargoed: 15th February 2012 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Nigeria, United Kingdom
  • City:
  • Country: United Kingdom Nigeria
  • Topics: Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVA2HGP12NF5CQ8TXCHX3NJNGMP7
  • Story Text: The security chief of former Nigerian military ruler General Sani Abacha was sentenced to death on Monday (January 30, 2012) for the murder of the wife of one of his main political rivals, Kudirat Abiola.
    Mustapha walked out of the court in Lagos smiling and was hugged by supporters waiting outside.
    Barrister Olalekan Ojo, lawyer to the accused said the decision of the court was a great surprise.
    "Before the close of work tomorrow, we would have filed notice of appeal on behalf of the defendant and also file a motion for stay of execution. It is not ordinarily necessary but because my lord says it's a peculiar judgement. A peculiar case, we don't want a peculiar execution," he said.
    Moshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola, a democracy campaigner, is widely believed to have won a 1993 poll that General Sani Abacha annulled, before arresting Abiola and installing himself at the head of a military junta.
    Ambassador John Fashanu, said the ruling of the Judge was extreme.
    "The Judge has pronounced her sentence hanging by death but I just think that's harsh in this day 2012, I think to pronounce somebody to die by hanging who has just done 14 years in the cell is quite harsh in anyone's books anywhere in the world," he said.
    Sani Abacha died age 54 in the company two Indian prostitutes in 1998. The official cause of death was believed to be cardiac arrest.
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