A property consultant, Dolapo Oni, fingered as an accomplice in the gruesome murder of the chairman of Lagos State Parks and Garages Management Authority, Branch A, in Mile 12 under Bridge, Sulaiman Lawal, has denied involvement in the attack.
It was alleged that the deceased was murdered by some yet-to-be identified cultists in a violent battle for control of the Branch ‘A’ garage located under Mile 12 bridge on a Sunday morning.
The deceased’s brother, Mustapha Lawal, in a recent interview alleged that Oni had a hand in the cult clash, which led to the killing of his brother.
Describing the allegation as wicked and baseless, Oni said it was fabricated to soil his reputation and defame his character as he had never been in contact with the deceased.
He said he was neither a regular visitor to the area nor was at the scene of the incident on that fateful day
While lamenting that residents in the area now perceive him as a murderer and tout, Oni, through his lawyer, Rotimi Oduba, demanded immediate retraction of the alleged slanderous broadcast made by Mustapha Lawal against him with a public apology or face a legal action.
The demand notice read: “On or about August 28, 2022, you granted an interview falsely stating that our client was among a group of hoodlums who masterminded the killing of one Mr. Suleiman Lawal, who until his death was the Branch ‘A’ chairman of the Lagos State Parks and Garages Management Authority located under the Mile 12 under Bridge, Lagos.
“The said interview has since gone viral on all social media platforms. You falsely stated that our client would on some occasions brazenly, publicly wield a handgun threatening members of the public and stating that nothing can be done to him and that if he was arrested, he would bail himself.
“These statements, as you know are false but yet chose to put them out in the public with the sole aim of disparaging our client’s character and tarnish his image in the eye of the public.”
While reiterating his determination to toe a legal path, Oni claimed that the allegations have exposed him to hatred, contempt and ridicule and also dent his corporate image.
“All I want is a retraction of all the allegations but failure to do this, I will be left with no other option than to seek legal redress and damages against Mustapha Lawal to the tune of N250 million,” he stated.