Death Before Dishonour? Almustapha Promoted To Brigadier General.

Information available indicates that Major Hamza Al-Mustapha may have been Promoted to Brigadiers General. The Nigerian Army on Monday indicated that it would likely reinstate Maj. Al-Mustapha into the service following the dismissal of a murder suit against him. Al-Mustapha, the former Chief security Officer to former head of state, late Gen. Sani Abacha, regained his freedom on Friday after 14 years in detention.

A Court of Appeal, sitting in Lagos, discharged and acquitted him over an alleged conspiracy and the murder of Alhaja Kudirat Abiola, on June 4, 1996. The court had upturned a death sentence handed down on him on Jan. 30, 2013, by Justice Mojisola Dada, of a Lagos High Court.

Read The Details Of The Ruling That Set Free Al-mustapha

In the lead judgment delivered by Justice Rita Pemu and supported by the presiding judge, Justice Amina Augie andJustice F. O. Akinbami respectively, the court held that the prosecution failed to prove its case beyond reasonable doubt, and that there was no nexus between the appellants and the murder of Alhaja Kudirat Abiola on June 4, 1993.

The Augie led all-female appeal panel had taken over the case from Justice Ibrahim Saulawa, who withdrew on April 29, for personal reasons.

Justice Pemu in setting aside the judgment of the lower court, held that the prosecution failed to establish the charge of conspiracy and murder against the appellants and that it was foolhardy and unreasonable for the lower court to have so swiftly convicted the appellants, when it was very evident that the prosecution had a bad case.