THE Centre for Human and Socio-Economic Rights (CHSR), has petitioned the Lagos State Government to ensure integrity of prosecution in the ongoing prosecution of suspects linked to the murder of two indigene of Ajiran community, Mr. Sheriff Ishola Salami and Prince Kazeem Ademola Akinloye.

According to a petition on Thursday, addressed to the state’s Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, CHSR called on the state to guarantee that the Directorate of Public Prosecution (DPP) proceeds strictly in accordance with the law, guided by credible and admissible evidence, free from any undue external pressure or influence.

In the petition, signed by its President, Comrade Alex Omotehinse, CHSR said the petition is necessitated by emerging attempts to distort facts and compromise the integrity of the prosecutorial and judicial processes in this grave matter.

He said: “Despite the revealed detailed confessions, corroborative evidence, and a pattern of coordinated violent acts culminating in the tragic deaths of the victims in 2023 and 2024 respectively, it has, however, come to our attention that a group operating under the name Centre for Citizens Rights Protection (CCRP) has submitted a petition to your office advancing a narrative that, in our considered view, constitutes a grave misrepresentation of facts and a disservice to the cause of justice.

“While we acknowledge the constitutional right of any individual or group to seek redress, we strongly contend that the CCRP’s position particularly its call for the release of the prime suspect or the granting of bail application premised on alleged insufficiency of evidence amounts to a premature and prejudicial interference in a matter that is actively before competent judicial authorities.

“More troubling is the attempt by the said group to reframe the narrative in a manner that appears to exonerate an individual currently facing serious allegations of murder, despite publicly available disclosures by law enforcement authorities indicating prima facie evidence and confessional links.”

CHSR is expressing concern that any prejudicial intervention in a criminal matter, if left unchecked, risks undermining public confidence in the justice system, eroding the credibility of prosecutorial institutions, and inflicting further emotional distress on the bereaved families and the Ajiran community at large.

“We are particularly concerned that the demands for the release of legal advice, immediate bail, and independent review though framed within legal language may in the prevailing circumstances, serve as instruments of pressure capable of derailing due process.

“It is imperative to state that criminal prosecutions, especially in cases involving capital offences, must be allowed to proceed strictly on the basis of evidence tested in an open court, and not be subjected to external influence or orchestrated public campaigns.”

The human rights group called on the attorney-general to safeguard Institutional Independence , by ensuring the independence and impartiality of the Ministry of Justice, the DPP, and the judicial process in handling this matter.

“You need to resist premature interference – to exercise caution against yielding to demands or narratives that seek to pre-empt judicial determination or trivialize the gravity of the allegations; protect the interests of Victims; to ensure that the rights and dignity of the victims and their families are not overshadowed by orchestrated advocacy that prioritizes suspects over justice.”