Don’t muddle the ongoing investigation of Mohbad’s murder – Abuja lawyer pleads

Pelumi Olajengbesi, a human rights lawyer based in Abuja, has pleaded with police officials and the Lagos State Government not to muddle the ongoing investigation into the contentious and gruesome murder of Nigerian singer Ilerioluwa Aloba, aka Mohbad.

According to a statement released on Friday by Law Corridor’s Olajengbesi, he said that the inquest into the tragic death of the gifted singer must not result in injustice being meted out, as happened in earlier examinations into situations that were similar to this one.

The lawyer recalled previous tragic and contentious situations, including the untimely death in 2021 of 12-year-old Sylvester Oromoni Jnr., a boarder at Dowen College in Lekki. The same year, according to Olajengbesi, Premiere Academy pupil Karen-Happuch Akpagher, 14, died in a contentious manner. Her mother, Vihimga, said that physicians determined that she had been raped and had a condom left in her private part.

Read also: Stop ‘catching cruise’ with Mohbad’s death – Police

He said, “Many other cases of similar unfortunate incidents abound all over Nigeria but justice cannot be said to have been dispensed in most cases, especially in the cases of Sylvester and Karen-Happuch. “Let it not be said that after the autopsy conducted on Mohbad’s remains on Thursday, September 21, 2023, justice won’t eventually be served by the 13-man police investigation committee on the matter.

“Of note, the cases of Sylvester, Karen-Happuch and Mohbad bring to the fore, the dangers and failure of not addressing the anti-social behaviour of bullying and cultism in our society. Greater penalties should be imposed to deter any future repeat of these crude and unacceptable behaviours.

Read also: Mohbad’s autopsy completed

“In the case of Mohbad, fingers have been pointed in the direction of certain persons. The police authorities and the Lagos State Government should not spare these persons in their probe. The investigation must be thoroughly done. Culprits should be made to face the music no matter how highly placed or connected they are.

“There should be no scared cows. Beyond playing to the gallery because of public outcry, the police must deliver. Justice must be served. For social misbehaviour only abounds when justice is asleep. And this is dangerous for our nation.”