The police on Wednesday arraigned a maritime worker, Maurice Fangnon, for being in possession of offensive weapons and causing fear in his Apapa, Lagos, neighbourhood.
Fangnon, 59, was arraigned before Mrs. Olufunke Oshin of an Apapa Magistrates’ Court in Lagos.
He is standing trial on a four-count charge of being in possession of 16 new cutlasses, substance suspected to be acid and engaging in an unlawful assembly.
The offences are contrary to Sections 410, 44, 51 and 166 (d) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.
Prosecuting Police Officer, Adebesin Shamsideen, from the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Yaba, told the court that the defendant and others who are still at large committed the offences on May 31.
He said the incident occurred around 10:30pm at 119, Osho Drive, Olodi-Apapa, Lagos.
Adebesin alleged that the defendant with intent to commit an offence assembled in an unlawful manner that caused fear on persons in the neighbourhood.
Fangnon, the prosecutor further alleged, could not give a satisfactory reason why he had in his possession 16 brand new cutlasses, two plastic jars containing a liquid substance suspected to be acid, and “displayed same in such a manner as to cause terror in his neighbourhood.”
The cutlasses and substance, the court also heard, were displayed “in public in an attempt to attack members of the Maritime Workers’ Union of Nigeria.
Fangnon denied the charges.
Magistrate Oshin granted him bail in the sum of N300, 000, with two sureties in like sum.
One of the sureties must be a reputable Civil Servant of Level 12 and show evidence of three years’ tax payment.
The case was adjourned to August 28 for hearing.