A businessman, Otunba Hassan Alli has asked that the Lagos State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Lawal Pedro, not to discontinue the ongoing matter of land grabbing against a man identified as Moroof Owonla in the interest of justice and the rule of law as such discontinuance will amount to a dangerous trend in the Administration of Criminal Law of Lagos State and against the public interest.
The Nigeria Police had recommended Moroof Owonla for prosecution after diligent investigation and duplicating the case file to the State Directorate of Public Prosecution (DPP) under the tenure of former Lagos State Attorney General Moyosore Onigbanjo.
The development led to the DPP issuing legal advice and filing eight-count charges against Moroof Owonla after verifying the facts contained in the case file.
However, Owonla in defiance of lawful court refused several court appearances ordered by Justice Adenike Coker of the State High Court in Ikeja, a move that prompted the judge to issue a bench warrant against him.
But recently, Attorney General filed a discountenance of the case in exercising his prosecutorial power of Nolle Prosequi.
Expressing his dissatisfaction, Otunba Alli noted that the action is in a clear departure from the provisions of Section 211(3) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (1999) as amended which empowers the Attorney General to exercise Nolle Prosequi.
He pointed out that under Section 211(3) it’s stated clearly that ‘In exercising his power under this Section, the Attorney General of a State shall have regard to the public interest, the interest of Justice and the need to prevent abuse of legal process.
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