A Lagos high court has sentenced Drambi Vandi, a police officer implicated in the tragic killing of Bolanle Raheem, a pregnant lawyer, to death by hanging.
The ruling was handed down on Monday by Justice Ibironke Harrison, who found Vandi guilty of the one-count charge of murder.
“The court finds the defendant guilty on one count of murder. You will be hanged by the neck till you are dead,” the judge ruled.
The incident, which occurred on December 25, 2022, sent shockwaves across the nation.
Bolanle Raheem, who was pregnant at the time, lost her life in a tragic altercation involving Vandi and other police officers at the Ajah underbridge in Lagos.
Vandi was identified as the officer who pulled the trigger, causing a fatal gunshot wound to Raheem’s chest.
Despite frantic efforts to save her life, Raheem tragically succumbed to her injuries at the third hospital she was rushed to following the shooting.
The incident sparked widespread outrage, prompting calls from Nigerians for a thorough investigation into the activities of police officers assigned to the Ajiwe police station in Ajah.
In response to public outcry, the Lagos state government swiftly arraigned Vandi on a one-count charge of murder.
Throughout the trial, the accused officer maintained his innocence, pleading not guilty to the charges.
