Court Sentences Policeman Who Killed Lagos lawyer, Bolanle Lawal, To Death By Hanging

Lagos State High Court has sentenced Drambi Vandi, the suspended police officer who shot dead a Lagos-based lawyer, Bolanle Raheem, to death by hanging.

The judge Ibironke Harrison on Monday found the police officer guilty of murder.

“The court found the defendant guilty on one count of murder. You will be hanged by the neck till you are dead,” Harrison said.

On 25 December 2022, Vanguard reported that Vandi allegedly killed Mrs Raheem, who was pregnant at that time, at the Ajah roundabout in Lagos.

The police officer was attached to the Ajiwe police division in the Ajah area of the state. 

Vandi’s heinous act was widely condemned by Nigerians and he was suspended two days after the incident.

Lagos state government had presented a one-count charge of murder of the lawyer against the defendant and subsequently arraigned him.

Since the court trial started in January, the deceased’s husband, sister, police armourer, pathologist and seven others have testified against the defendant.

The prosecution tendered 27 exhibits.

Vandi was the only witness who testified in his own defence.

In his testimony before the court, Vandi told the judge that the bullet presented in court which was said to have killed Mrs Raheem did not come from the rifle he carried on the day of the incident.

He also claimed that he had never seen the bullet until it was tendered in court.