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Nigerian Sani Abacha aide cleared of Kudirat Abiola death | Nigerian Sani Abacha aide cleared of Kudirat Abiola death |
(35 minutes later) | |
A close aide to former Nigerian military ruler Sani Abacha has been acquitted of killing the wife of politician Moshood Abiola, after spending 14 years in prison. | A close aide to former Nigerian military ruler Sani Abacha has been acquitted of killing the wife of politician Moshood Abiola, after spending 14 years in prison. |
Major Hamza al-Mustapha was sentenced last year to hang for ordering the killing of Kudirat Abiola. | |
She was shot dead in 1996, three years after the elections her husband is believed to have won. | She was shot dead in 1996, three years after the elections her husband is believed to have won. |
Those elections were annulled and Abacha seized power. | Those elections were annulled and Abacha seized power. |
He went on to become one of Nigeria's most notorious military rulers, accused of stealing billions of dollars from the oil-rich nation. | He went on to become one of Nigeria's most notorious military rulers, accused of stealing billions of dollars from the oil-rich nation. |
Abacha and Abiola both died in 1998, paving the way for the end of decades of military rule the following year. | Abacha and Abiola both died in 1998, paving the way for the end of decades of military rule the following year. |
The BBC's Tomi Oladipo in Lagos say that a huge crowd of Maj Mustapha's supporters cheered outside the courtroom following the news of his acquittal. | |
The appeal court ruled that the charges of murder and conspiracy had been politically motivated. | |
The lower court "did not evaluate the evidence placed before it as the court was out to convict the appellant [Mustapha] at all costs," Judge Rita Pemu said, according to the AFP news agency. | |
"There is no evidence linking the appellant with the offence. Therefore, the appellant is discharged and acquitted," she added. | |
Maj Mustapha's lawyers appealed in December 2012, condemning as an "injustice" the many years he had spent in detention during the much-delayed case. | |
The prosecution, however, plan to appeal to the Supreme Court. | |
One of Abacha's sons, Mohammed, was also accused of links to Mrs Abiola's killing but was cleared in 2002 after three years in detention. | One of Abacha's sons, Mohammed, was also accused of links to Mrs Abiola's killing but was cleared in 2002 after three years in detention. |
After Abacha seized power, Abiola declared himself president and was charged with treason. | After Abacha seized power, Abiola declared himself president and was charged with treason. |
He died in detention in the presence of US officials - a month after Abacha died from a heart attack. | He died in detention in the presence of US officials - a month after Abacha died from a heart attack. |