Yekini's death was pure kidnap, manslaughter - Lawyer

THE legal counsel to the late Rashidi Yekini, Mohammed Jibril has raised dust again concerning the last moments of the soccer legend, saying 'Yekini's case was purely a case of kidnap and manslaughter'.This was revealed while Mohammed was speaking at the 'A Day of Tribute' organised for the late former Super Eagles Striker yesterday by the Oyo State Chapter of Sports Writers' Association of Nigeria (SWAN) as part of event lined-up for Yekini's 40th day prayer at the media center of Obafemi Awolowo Stadium.The legal practitioner amidst tears queried why police were expecting a formal complaint before taking action while the former Commissioner of Police in the State had given an order that nobody should take his client away before prior knowledge of the Police or State government owing to the status of Yekini.'Yekini knew they were going to kill him, he has told me that ever before they eventually came to take him away. I have saved him twice when they had earlier attempted to take him, by involving the police."The second time was when former Oyo CP, Baba Adisa Bolanta invited Yekini, his family, and myself, and thereafter interviewed Yekini and was satisfied with his responses, he gave a standing order that his family should not forcefully take him away without the presence of Police again'.'This people violated this order by coming back according to the account of Yekini's neighbours and took him to an unknown place for traditional healing as they claimed which led to his untimely demise,' he said.Unfortunately, he could not get to me when he was forcefully whisked out of his abode, I was told he keep telling his siblings to help him get Mohammed to come and rescue him out of where he was taken to, describing my office to his sister, but nobody get to me before he shouted from his sleep the third day and gasped severally until he breathed his last.'We are in a dilemma now, because there is no where to obtain a death certificate for Yekini, and without that, I as his lawyer who has every knowledge of all what he left behind as property and wealth can not take any action,' Jibril said.Other dignitaries that attended the event are the Secretary General of Association of Professional Footballers of Nigeria (APFON), Austin Popo, Coach Joseph Ladipo, popularly known as Jossy Lad, ex-international Dimeji Lawal whose his group, All Stars collaborates with SWAN to organised the event, Zion Ogunfeyinmi, ex-Green Eagle andShooting Stars, new Oyo SWAN Chairman, Seun Ajayi-Obe.
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