Arran Coghlan, a wealthy businessman from Alderley Edge, has been cleared of murder for the third time today after appearing at Liverpool Crown Court.
Having pleaded not guilty to the murder of Stephen Akinyemi, Arran Coghlan will walk away from prison after the Crown Prosecution Service(CPS) offered no evidence against him.
On 9th February 2010 the body of Stephen 'Aki' Akinyemi, 44, from Cheetham Hill was found by Police Officers at the home of Arran Coghlan, a converted chapel on Brook Lane. Mr Coghlan, who is understood to have dialled 999 himself after a fight, had injuries which required medical attention.
It was initially reported that Mr Akinyemi had been killed as a result of a stabbing but a home office post mortem established the cause of death to be a gunshot wound. Mr Coghlan was charged with the murder on 13th February 2010 and has remained in prison on remand since, whilst his family were taken into protective custody.
The two men are believed to have been known to each other and Stephen Akinyemi, who was also known to police, was allegedly a founder member of the Cheetham Hill gang.
A statement released by the Crown Prosecution Service today said "The decision to charge Mr Coghlan was made on the evidence available at the time and it was expected that further evidence would be available. This further evidence, including forensic evidence, has now been received and reviewed by the CPS, which has a duty to keep cases under continuous review to ensure charges are still appropriate. In this case, having reviewed evidence not available at the time of charge, the CPS has decided there is no longer a realistic prospect of conviction against Mr Coghlan and has today offered no evidence against him on the charge of murder."
The defendant was cleared of murdering Chris Little in the mid 1990's. Mr Little was shot dead at the wheel of his car in Marple. Then, along with five other men, he was accused of murdering David Barnshaw, who was found in a burnt out car in Lower Bredbury in September 1999. The case collapsed in 2003 because the police withheld information regarding another suspect.
A statement released today by Cheshire Constabulary read "The criminal investigation conducted by Cheshire Police into the circumstances leading to Mr Akinyemi's death was conducted thoroughly, impartially and professionally.
"The police investigation was both comprehensive and transparent, and within the requirements of disclosure which allows those charged with a criminal offence to understand the basis of the evidence supporting the charges."
Click here for further information regarding Arran Coghlan and the death of Stephen Akinyemi which can be found on alderleyedge.com.
