Kudirat Murder: Abacha's CSO Al Mustapha Discharged And Acquitted By Court of Appeal

Abacha's CSO Al Mustapha was today Discharged And Acquitted By Court of Appeal in lagos in a controversial judgement, Colonel Hamza Al Mustapha, a former confidant of Nigeria’s late dictator, General Sani Abacha, Was set free of a sentence for the June 4, 1996 assassination of Kudirat Abiola, a wife of Moshood Kashimawo Abiola, winner of the June twelve, 1993 presidential election.

Mr. Al Mustapha, who served as Chief Security Officer to the late military president, Abacha, was earlier guilty by a lagos tribunal on charges of authorizing, planning and overseeing the murder of Ms. Abiola, who was shot while going for an appointment in streets of Lagos city. The killing of Abiola’s wife shocked Nigerians and the world, and created the name Kudirat one among the foremost revered icons of the Nigerian struggle to force the military from political power. Mr. Abacha, whose regime epitomized the peak of military repression, died suddenly in Nov, 1997, within the thick of an amorous party with 3 young prostitutes. His death brought to an end the reign of Mustapha.

"A Court of Appeal presided over by Justice Amina Augie today ruled that the Lagos High Court that convicted Mr. Mustapha for the murder of Ms. Abiola was “stroked to secure a conviction by all means.” On January 30, 2013, the high court had sentenced Mr. Mustapha to death for conspiracy to commit murder.

But the appellate court’s acquittal of Mr. Mustapha is bound to raise judicial dust, said an Abuja-based lawyer familiar with the case. He said the stage for today's ruling had been set when a no-nonsense judge earlier involved in the case withdrew for inexplicable reasons and was replaced by Justice Amina Augie, who headed the panel. The source described Justice Augie as “one of the justices on the Court of Appeal who is linked to judicial corruption.”