Man freed after 17 years in detention over stalled murder trial

Justice O.A. Popoola of the Lagos state High Court in Ikeja, Wednesday, discharged a 44-year-old man, Mr.

Wasiu Ajumoje, who had been standing trial for alleged murder for the past 17 years. Ajumoje, who was first arraigned in March 2008, had been in custody at the Ikoyi Correctional Centre throughout the duration of his trial, which suffered numerous delays primarily due to the failure of the prosecution to advance the case. At the resumed hearing, which had been slated for the consideration of a no-case submission, the Lagos State Prosecution Counsel, T.



E. Onilado, informed the court that the office of the Attorney-General of Lagos state had reviewed the matter and decided to discontinue the prosecution. Onilado presented an application dated April 16, 2025, signed by the Director of Public Prosecution, Dr.

Babajide Martins. The application read in part: “I hereby, on behalf of the Hon Attorney-General of Lagos State, wholly discontinue this charge against Wasiu Ajumoje pursuant to the powers of the Attorney-General as provided under Section 211(1)(2) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended).” The court subsequently struck out the charge.

Justice Popoola ruled, “The charge is accordingly struck out, the defendant is discharged but not acquitted.” Speaking after the ruling, Ajumoje recounted his ordeal, saying he was arrested on March 13, 2008, after a violent altercation between two of his neighbors in Adeniji, Lagos Island. He said he had attempted to intervene in a fight between two friends when one of them, identified as Rasheed, fatally stabbed the other and fled the scene.

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