The Lagos State Ministry of Justice has approached the Supreme Court to review the judgment of the court of appeal which acquitted and discharged Major Hamza Al-Mustapha and Alhaji Lateef Shofolahan.
The state’s Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr Ade Ipaye disclosed this at the monthly press briefing on law and order in Lagos.
In attendance were journalists from different media houses, the Solicitor General, the Director of Public Prosecution and some other officials of the state’s justice ministry.
He addressed the law and order issues in the state.
The Attorney General ended the speculations on whether the state government would challenge the court of appeal judgment of the 12th of July which upturned the death sentence the Lagos High Court had placed on former Chief Security Officer, Major Hamza Al-Mustapha and his co-defendant, Alhaji Lateef Shofolahan, when he confirmed that the Justice Ministry will appeal the court judgement which set the two accused free.
The court of appeal had quashed their conviction,discharged and acquitted both men on charges of attempted murder and murder of the late kudirat Abiola.
The briefing also focused on other issues of under-aged prisoners, awaiting trial inmates and the amnesty international report on the Badia East community in Apapa Iganmu area of the state.
On under-aged prisoners, he hinted that the ministry has put in place definitive mechanisms to detect under age defendants at every level of the criminal justice process.
There had been reported claims that some minors were recently imprisoned after conviction by a Magistrate court. The Attorney General says the ministry of justice followed up these claims, paid a visit to the Kirikiri prisons, investigated and out of 13 persons, 2 admitted to being under age.
The Attorney General said on the displaced persons from Badia east which was recently demolished by the state government that his ministry has swung to action to see that assistance be rendered to those displaced as he also warned against the practise of settling in illegal developments.