Monsuru, a transporter, and his motor boy, Abdulahi Ogundijo, were sentenced to death on May 20, 2020, by Justice P.F. Oduniyi of the Abeokuta High Court after being convicted in connection with conspiracy and armed robbery.
Mrs. Mukaila, however, insists that her son and his motor boy were wrongly convicted, alleging that they were victims of circumstances surrounding an incident that occurred in the Mowe area of Ogun State in January 2017.
Narrating the family’s ordeal to TrendscopeNews, the mother said Monsuru’s troubles began when a man identified as Saheed Ishola Omoebi contacted him to transport some iron materials to another location.
According to her account, Saheed called Monsuru at about 8pm and asked him to move the materials at that hour. When Monsuru reportedly questioned why the job had to be done so late, Saheed allegedly explained that doing it at night would help them avoid possible difficulties with road safety officials.
Monsuru subsequently contacted Abdulahi Ogundijo, his motor boy, to assist him with the job. The two reportedly arrived at the location with Monsuru’s six-wheel lorry, which he used for his transportation business.
Mrs. Mukaila alleged that while the iron materials were being loaded into the lorry, officers of the now-disbanded Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) arrived at the scene and began shooting.
She claimed that Saheed and his brother fled during the incident, while Monsuru and Abdulahi, who were allegedly confused about what was happening, remained at the scene and were arrested by the police.
According to the mother, the two men were taken to a police station in the Mowe area, where they were detained.
“The following day, I got a call from my son’s wife that he had been detained at Mowe Police Station,” she recalled.
Mrs. Mukaila further alleged that when she visited the station, she was asked to provide ₦500,000 for her son’s release.
She also claimed that Saheed, whom she identified as the person who initially contacted her son, was arrested several days after the incident but was subsequently released after allegedly paying ₦500,000 to the police officer handling the case.
According to her, Saheed did not subsequently appear before the court in connection with the matter, while Monsuru and Abdulahi were prosecuted.
The mother said her family could not raise the money allegedly demanded for Monsuru and Abdulahi, forcing the case to proceed to court.
“Since then, we have been going in and out of court until the final judgment was delivered on Wednesday, May 20, 2020,” she said.
Mrs. Mukaila questioned the evidence used against her son and his motor boy, claiming that no firearm or ammunition was recovered from the scene.
She also alleged that the iron materials said to have been stolen remained at the location and were later used by their owner for the construction of a school.
According to her, the evidence presented during the trial also raised questions about what was recovered from the scene.
She referred to the testimony of the first investigating police officer at Mowe Police Station, who, according to her, acknowledged during cross-examination that he visited the scene and that no firearm or ammunition was recovered there.
The officer was also said to have testified that no such items were transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (CID), Eleweran, Abeokuta, as exhibits.
Mrs. Mukaila contrasted this with the testimony attributed to another police officer, ASP Abanikanda, who reportedly claimed that a cutlass, axe and rope were recovered at the scene.
She alleged that the items described as exhibits were recovered seven days after the incident by persons connected with the alleged robbery victims.
The family’s concerns have not, however, changed the outcome of the trial court, which convicted Monsuru and Abdulahi and sentenced them to death.
Mrs. Mukaila is now seeking help to pursue an appeal against the judgment. She said the appeal had already been filed at the Court of Appeal in Ibadan but that the family was struggling to meet the financial demands of continuing the legal battle.
Beyond the legal challenge, the elderly mother said she was also dealing with the emotional and financial burden of raising her family alone.
According to her, she had four sons, but Monsuru is the only one still alive. She said his father died when Monsuru was only eight months and 11 days old, leaving her to raise the children by herself.
Mrs. Mukaila, who sells sachet water to survive, said she had been borrowing money from a microfinance institution to meet the legal and family expenses arising from the case.
She also expressed disappointment over the failure of her son’s wife to secure legal representation despite allegedly receiving money for that purpose.
She claimed that the woman had subsequently remarried.
With the appeal pending, Mrs. Mukaila has appealed to individuals, organisations and members of the public who may be willing to assist the family in pursuing the case.
For the mother, the legal battle is not merely about overturning a judgment; it is also about preserving the life of the son she says remains her last surviving child.
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