Lagos CP Re-Arraigns Five for Allegedly Causing Violence in Ladipo Market
The Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Mr Fatai Owoseni, has re-arraigned five accused persons before a Lagos Chief Magistrate’s Court, Igbosere, for offences ranging from conspiracy, threat of violence, assault, to theft of over N1.1 million at Ladipo Market, Mushin, Lagos.
Four of the accused persons, who pleaded not guilty to the eight-count charge of causing breach of the peace of Ladipo Market, Mushin by making bloodletting the order of the day, when they were docked, are Kingsley Ike Ogunor (50), Ukpabia Raymond (56), Steve Ijeoma Paul (53), and Onyeka Igwe (41).
The fifth accused person, Chidi Ebere Obi (38), was however, absent from the court.
Lawyer to the accused, O. Okiigbe tendered an apology to the court on behalf of the 5th defendant, adding that Obi’s absence was as a result of ill-health.
The defence lawyer also urged the court to allow the other four accused persons, who had earlier been arraigned before another Magistrate and released on bail, to be allowed to remain on bail.
But the prosecuting police officer, Inspector Haruna Ibrahim,opposed the defence lawyer's application, and urged the court to issue a bench warrant for arrest of Chidi Ebere Obi for failing to appear in court, in spite of his awareness of the pendency of the case.
Inspector Ibrahim argued that there was no evidence before the court, to prove Obi’s sickness.
The trial Magistrate, Mrs F.F. George, who just took over the case file from the former Magistrate however, declined, saying that Chidi Ebere Obi was not properly before her. She stressed that until the accused personally appears before the court, and takes a plea of the charge before her, it would not be proper for court to issue any order against him.
According to the charge No. P/20/2017, the five accused persons and others still at large, on March 18th, 2017 at about 1300hrs at Ladipo Market, Mushin conspired amongst themselves to commit felony to wit: threatening violence, malicious damage, assault, occasioning harm, grievous harm, wounding, stealing and conduct likely to cause the breach of the peace and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 409 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State of Nigeria, 2011.
They are also alleged to have threatened violence with intent to intimidate one Monday Lawrence and other traders of Laipo Market, willfully damaged the shop office and wine of one Mrs. Tolulope Obi, unlawfully assaulted Tolulope Obi, Emeka Ite Una and Peter Nwosu, causing them bodily harm and inflicting permanent bodily wound on Peter Nwosu and Emeka Ite Una on April 2, 2016 and December 22, 2016.
According to the charge, the