Oluseye Ojo, Ibadan
Justice Iyabo Yerima of Oyo State High Court has struck out a criminal case filed against a former federal lawmaker, Kamil Akinlabi, by a traditional ruler over allegation bordering on defamatory of character.
The monarch had been accused by Akinlabi of being the mastermind of some criminal activities in his kingdom, which led to the discontinued litigation.
The case was struck out by the court at the instance of the power of the state’s Attorney General, Oyelowo Oyewo, who told the court in a letter to discontinue the case, which was instituted in 2016 by the monarch.
The suit (Oyo vs Akinlabi) Hoy/5c/2016, was to be revisited after several adjournments.
Akinlabi, a former member of House of Representatives, is currently the chairman, Oyo State Road Maintenance Agency (OYSROMA), appointed by Governor Seyi Makinde in 2019.
In his reaction, he said he was happy that justice prevailed on the matter despite that it took a long time.
“I must give kudos to the judiciary, you should see the unbiased prosecution of the case from the beginning till it was discontinued. It reaffirmed the fact that the court of law is truly the last hope for the common man.
“It is one thing to take an action and it is another thing to be ready to bear the consequence of that action. This, I have shown and we are happy that the matter spoke for itself, even when charges were amended about two or three times, but I am glad to tell you today that it is a new dawn,” he said.