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Tag: Ikeja

  • Man, 18, appears in court for stealing

    The police, on Monday, arraigned a man, Tobi Michael, 18, in an Ikeja Magistrates’ Court, Lagos, for allegedly breaking into his former school to steal items worth N55,000.

    Michael, a drop-out at Ifesowapo Senior Secondary School, Aboru, Ipaja, Lagos and  a resident of Ipaja, Lagos, is being tried for burglary and stealing.

    The Police Prosecutor, Sgt. Dada Wasiu, told the court that the accused committed the offences on April 18 at his former school.

    He said that the accused broke into the principal’s office at night through the ceiling and stole items worth N55, 000.

    “The accused stole: six cans of malta drinks, three packs of biscuits, three bottles of orange soft drinks, 17 pieces of sweet, four pieces of school socks among other items, valued N55,000”.

    Wasiu said that the accused was arrested by the security guard while trying to jump the fence to escape, and the stolen items were recovered from him.

    Read Also: Court remands man, 44, in prison custody for murder

    The offences contravened Sections 287 and 308( 2 ) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015 ( Revised ).

    The newsmen reports that Section 287 prescribes three years jail term for stealing, while section 308 attracts seven years for burglary.

    The accused pleaded innocence of the offences and the court granted him bail in the sum of N50, 000 with two sureties in like sum.

    The magistrate, Mrs A.K Dosunmu, said the sureties should be gainfully employed and show evidences of two years tax payment to the Lagos State Government.

    The case was adjourned to May 21 for mention.

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  • Two sisters in court for allegedly beating, tearing policeman’s uniform

    The police on Thursday arraigned two sisters, Favour Ajula and Oluchi Ajula in an Ikeja Magistrates’ Court accused of assaulting police inspector by tearing his uniform and dragging his gun.

    Favour, a 24-year-old hairdresser; and 18-year-old Oluchi, a nurse, appeared before Magistrate F.F. George on a two-count charge of conspiracy and assault.

    The duos, who reside at Iju-Ishaga in Agege area of Lagos, however, pleaded not guilty and were granted bail in the sum of N50,000 each with two sureties each in like sum.

    George said the sureties should be gainfully employed and must show evidence of two years tax payment to the Lagos State Government and adjourned the matter until May 14 for mention.

    The prosecutor, Sgt. Godwin Awase, told the court that the defendants committed the offences on April 13 at their residence.

    He said the sisters and one Emeka, a teenager, assaulted Insp. Bitrus Zingkur, by tearing his uniform and also dragged his service gun while performing his lawful duty.

    Read Also: Court strikes out theft case against tiler

    Awase said a man went to report to the police that the defendants were after his life.

    He added that “one Uche Prince, a co-tenant, reported the defendants to police that they wanted to kill him; and the complainant followed him to the house.

    “When the complainant tried to mediate and settle the disagreement, the two sisters assaulted him.”

    The prosecutor said the offence contravened sections 174( b ) and 411 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015( Revised ).

    Section 174 stipulates three years imprisonment for assault, while Section 411 attracts two years jail term for conspiracy.

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  • Police arraign two suspected robbers in Lagos

    Two suspected commercial bus robbers — Sunday Ogenero and Daniel Johnson — were on Wednesday brought before an Ikeja Chief Magistrates’ Court charged dispossessing occupants of money and valuables worth thousands of naira.

    The accused — Ogenero, 24, lives in Agausa area of Ajegunle in Apapa, while Johnson, 22, resides at Okoafo area of Badagry.

    Both are standing trial on a two-count charge of conspiracy and stealing to which they have pleaded not guilty.

    The accused, Police Prosecutor Benson Emuerhi, told the court committed the offences with others now  at large on Feb. 28 along Apapa Expressway at 7.30 p.m.

    According to him, the accused stole one Techno phone valued at N36,000, N34,000 cash and other valuables from the complainant, Tunde Mustapha, while he was returning home from work.

    “The complainant, after the close of work, boarded a commercial bus heading towards Mile 2 area of Lagos, unknown to him that other occupants of the bus were robbers.

    Read Also: Police confirm officer’s death from Okada riders’ reprisal attack

    “The duo dispossessed him of the items but were caught by some passersby, who handed them over to the police,” he said.

    The offences contravened Sections 287 and 411 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015 ( Revised ).

    The newsmen report that Section 287 stipulates a three-year jail term for stealing, while Section 411 prescribes two years for conspiracy.

    The Magistrate, Mrs O. Sule-Amzat, granted the accused bail in the sum of N50,000 each with two sureties each in like sum. The case was adjourned until July 5.

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  • Electricity: Lagos community kicks over mass disconnection

    Some electricity consumers in Baruwa community in Ipaja, Lagos, on Thursday faulted the disconnection of their power supply from the transformer by officials of Ikeja Electric.
    Our reporter in separate interviews in Lagos that disconnecting the entire community from the grid, due to few consumers owing the company, was illegal.
    Mr Kazeem Ibrahim, a resident of Olofintuyi Street, told our reporterthat on April 20, two of the three cables that supply power to their houses were dropped from the transformer.
    “We reported this at the nearby office of Ikeja Electric in order to fix the problem because we were in darkness.
    “But surprisingly, when they came four days later, instead of repairing the faulty transformer, they removed the entire cables that supply the area and shut us down.
    “The company’s workers claimed that some consumers were owing the electricity firm, and if they refuse to pay their due, they will not restore the power supply.
    “It is injustice; I pay my electricity bills regularly. This is not the way to do it.
    “The company knows who pays and who does not pay his bill; they should go after them and not put the entire community in darkness”he said.

    Read Also: Workers hail Akeredolu on reforms in Ondo Electricity Board

    Mr Joseph Philip, another resident of Baruwa, said the seven-day outage had started taking its toll on the community, noting that economic activities in the entire area had been grounded.
    “We are law abiding citizens of Nigeria, but Ikeja Electric is not treating us well.
    “In 2017, our transformer at two-storey area developed fault for nine months.
    “We were in darkness throughout those months, yet Ikeja Electric was bringing electricity bills without power supply.
    “I have written them that I’m not paying for the energy, because there was no reason for the bills they were bringing without supply,” he said.
    The Head, Corporate Communications, Ikeja Electric, Mr Felix Ofulue, said they would look into the matter and resolve all issues relating to power  supply in the community.

    Ofulue urged the residents not to vandalise the company’s equipment in their area due to the outage.

     

  • Drama as Innoson’s counsel engages court in war of words over jurisdiction

    A mild drama ensued on Tuesday at an Ikeja Special Offences Court as the chairman of Innoson Motors Nigeria Limited, Innocent Chukwu failed to appear in court for his arraignment, for the fourth time.

    Innoson had previously failed to face charges of alleged fraud preferred against him by the Economic and Financial Crime Commission on January 17, February 9 and March 14.

    At the last sitting of the court on March 14,  Innoson through his counsel, Mr George Uwechue (SAN),  was said to have petitioned the National Judicial Council (NJC) over Justice Mojisola Dada, the judge trying the case.

    He was said to have expressed doubts of getting a fair trial before the judge.

    At resumed sitting of the court yesterday, Justice Dada told Innoson’s defence team led by Mr Uwechue that she would not hear any application brought by them in the absence of the defendant.

    “No application will be moved in the absence of the defendant, my position remains the same.

    “You can bring a thousand applications before me for all I care but no application can be heard in this court without the presence of the defendant,” Justice Dada said.

    Earlier,  Uwechue had moved that the defence has an application challenging the jurisdiction of the court to entertain the charges brought against his client by the EFCC.

    He argued: “where there is an application before the court challenging jurisdiction, the court has a duty to hear the application even in the absence of the defendant.” Justice Dada, however, insisted that she will not hear any application until Innoson was present in court.

    Uwechue, apparently taken aback by the response of the trial judge, insisted that his application must be taken by the court.

    “You cannot stand me down My Lord, you cannot stampede me My Lord. I’m an octogenarian, I’m 50 plus years at the bar,” Uwechue shouted.

    But Justice Dada would not be moved with the outburst of the defence counsel but rather retorted that that is the more reason why Uwechue should be better composed and comported, and mustn’t   injure himself.

    The heat generated by Uwechue’s outburst, further led to an exchange of words between the senior lawyer, Prof. J. N Mbadugha and the lead prosecuting counsel for the EFCC, Mr Anselem Ozioko.

    At a point, Uwechue threatened to quit legal practice because of the conduct of Ozioko, the EFCC counsel.

    Ozioko had told the court earlier that proceedings can go on despite the petition written to the NJC against Justice Dada by the defendant.

    “I have it on good record that where there is a petition against a court, the court can proceed with the matter.
    We have the NJC’s directions to that effect so that we can proceed with the case.

    “I have also been served with many processes today by the defence one of which is a motion asking the court to set aside a process that my learned friend, Mbadugha, had received in open court.

    “I’m sure that he realizes that it will affect him negatively, that is why he brought the motion,” he said.

    The EFCC prosecutor added that the anti-graft commission was taking steps to ensure Innoson’s attendance in the next court date.

    Mbadugha, who is also the defence lawyer for Innoson Motors Nigeria Ltd, had also told the court that he had through an appeal, challenged the jurisdiction of the court to hear the case.

    “We have not been availed of the NJC’s directive, we have gone to the court of appeal as regards jurisdiction,” Mbadugha said.

    Chukwuma and his company, Innoson Motors Nigeria Limited are to be arraigned on a four-count charge of conspiracy to obtain property by false pretenses, obtaining property by false pretenses, stealing and forgery.

    According to the charge sheet, the defendants committed the offences between 2009 and July 2011 in Lagos.

    The EFCC had alleged that defendants, with intent to defraud, conspired to obtain by false pretenses, containers of motorcycle, spare parts and raw materials, property of Guaranty Trust Bank (GTB) from Mitsui OSK Lines Limited, Apapa, Lagos.

    They were alleged to have fraudulently induced staff of Mitsui OSK and Maersk Line to deliver to them via their clearing agents the goods which were imported from China in the name of GTB by falsely pretending that they were authorised by the bank to clear the goods.

    The prosecution claimed that the defendants forged a bill of lading numbered 598286020 of Maersk Line Limited and 11007950841 of Mutsui O.S.K Lines by knowingly putting a false GTB stamp and signature of the bank staff in order to facilitate the fraud.

    It was alleged that the forged documents were meant to be used or acted upon as genuine to the prejudice of any person within Lagos or elsewhere.

    The EFCC said the offences contravened Sections 1(1)(b), 1(3), and 8(a) of the Advanced Fee Fraud and Other Related Offences Act 2016 and Sections 309(9), 388, 465 and 467(1)(j) of the Criminal Code, Laws of Lagos State 2003.

    Justice Dada adjourned the matter until May 24 for arraignment of the automobile boss.

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  • Trader, 26, in court for alleged assault on neighbour

    A 26-year-old trader, Hauwa Judge, who allegedly assaulted her neighbour by pouring hot water on her chest was on Tuesday brought before an Ikeja Chief Magistrates’ Court.

    Hauwa, who resides at No. 17, Idowu Rafiu St., Iboru, Iyana-ipaja, a Lagos suburb, is facing a charge of assault.

    The Prosecutor, Insp. Mathew Akhaluode, told the court that the accused committed the offence on April 14 at about 7.30 a.m. at her residence.

    He alleged that the accused unlawfully inflicted injuries on the complainant, Doris Kelly, a nursing mother, when she poured a bucket of hot water on her chest during an argument.
    “The argument started when the accused said the complainant poured urine at the entrance of her house.
    “They started exchanging words before the complainant knew it; the accused poured a bucket of hot water on her.

    “She was immediately rushed to the nearest hospital where she is still receiving treatment,’’ he said.

    Read Also: Man in court for intimidating wife

    The offence contravened Section 173 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015 ( Revised ). The newsmen report that the section prescribes a three- year imprisonment for offenders.

    The accused, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge. In her ruling, the Chief Magistrate, Mrs A. A. Adetunji, granted the accused bail in the sum of N100, 000 with two sureties in like sum.

    She said the sureties should be gainfully employed and they should show evidence of two years tax payments to the Lagos State Government. Adetunji adjourned the case until May 25, for mention.

    NAN

  • Motorcylist in court for alleged manslaughter

    The Police on Tuesday arraigned a 28-year-old motorcyclist, Mudasiru Oladoja, in an Ikeja Magistrates’ Court for allegedly causing the death of a 12-year-old girl, Blessing Ogodo.

    Oladoja, who resides at No 23, Mathew St., Alagbado, a Lagos Suburb is being tried for reckless driving and causing death.

    The prosecutor, Insp. Christopher John, told the court that the accused committed the offences on April 17, at Blue Banana Bus-stop, Along AIT/ Kola Expressway, Alagbado, a Lagos suburb.

    John said the accused dangerously and recklessly rode a motorcycle with Reg. Number AYE 375 WX on the highway and resulted in the death of Ogodo.

    He said the offence contravened Section 19( 2 ) Law No 4 Vol. 45 of Road Traffic Law of Lagos State of Nigeria 2015.

    Read Also: Court orders remand of applicant over alleged robbery at gun point

    The accused, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges. The Chief Magistrate, Mr P.E Nwaka, granted the accused bail in the sum of N200, 000 with two sureties in like sum.

    Nwaka ordered that the surety should show evidence of three years tax payment to the Lagos State Government as part of the bail conditions.

    He further ordered that the sureties must reside within the court’s jurisdiction and should be employees.

    The chief magistrate adjourned the case until June 13 for hearing.

    NAN

  • Court orders remand of applicant over alleged robbery at gun point

    An Ikeja Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday ordered the remand of 30-year-old applicant, Micheal Akanbi, accused of robbing at gun point.

    The Magistrate, Mrs S. K. Matepo, who ordered remand of Akanbi in Kirikiri Prison, did not take his plea, but ordered that the case file be taken to the Director of Public Prosecutions for legal advice.

    The magistrate adjourned the case until Aug. 2.

    The defendant who resides at Ikorodu, Lagos, was docked on charges bordering on conspiracy, armed robbery and unlawful possession of arms.

    The prosecutor, Sgt. Innocent Odugbo, told the court that the offences were committed on Dec. 19, 2017, and Jan. 2 , 2018, at Oshodi and Mile 2 area of Lagos, respectively.

    Odugbo said that the defendant and his accomplice, robbed one Nnamdi Eze of his Toyota car, valued at N1.8 million at gun point.

    “The complainant was on his way home at exactly 8:21 p.m. along Oshodi road when the accused and his other accomplice who were on motorcycle deliberately hit the car from behind.

    Read Also: Corruption: Court insists Justice Yunusa has case to answer

    “He stopped the engine of his car to see the damage and the next thing was that they pointed a gun at him and snatched his car,’’ Odugbo said.

    Odugbo also alleged that the defendant and his accomplice, robbed a woman, Moninuola Ajayi, who was coming out from a warehouse with bundles of clothes valued at N4 million.

    “The accused way laid the truck, stopped them, went away with the bundles of clothes at gun point,”he said.

    Odugbo said that the cases were reported at the police station and the police placed the suspects on wanted list.

    “The police got an information about the accused where about and he was tracked down and arrested, ” he said.

    The offences contravened Sections 328, 297 and 299 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.

    NAN

  • 2019: Police to comb uncompleted buildings, dump sites in Lagos

    The Commissioner of Police in Lagos State, Imohimi Edgal, says dump sites, undeveloped lands and uncompleted buildings likely to house criminals will be combed as part of preparations for the 2019 general elections.

    Edgal told our reporter on Monday at the command’s headquarters in Ikeja that the measure was to check crime ahead of   the forthcoming elections.

    According to him, many criminals have been living and keeping arms and ammunition at different dump sites as well as abandoned lands and buildings in the state.

    “We have not been paying serious attention to dump sites, abandoned lands and buildings.

    “Intelligence reports show that many criminals live and keep their weapons in these areas.

    “When we raided Olusosun dump site recently, we arrested over 100 suspected criminals.

    “We also recovered many arms and ammunition and Indian hemp from the place. The dump site covers an area of about 50 acres of land.

    “We have decided to take over such lands in Lagos as a proactive measure for violence-free elections in 2019.

    “As part of preparations, we have been having workshops with INEC officials.

    “We are also studying clips from previous elections in Lagos to identify all the black spots during elections.

    “We advise owners of abandoned lands and buildings within the metropolis to ensure that their facilities are not used by hoodlums.

    “We call on the public to report to the police any empty land and uncompleted buildings that hoodlums are using as their hideouts to plan for any crime, ’’ Edgal said.

    Reports have it that the Olusosun dump site at Ojota had been on fire for about a month, forcing the Lagos State Government to seal up all artisans’ shops in the area.

    Our reporter further reports that different police teams were sighted guarding the dump site and preventing residents from entering the area.

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  • Man, 26, remanded in prison for allegedly having anal sex with 10-year-old boy

    A Kano Chief Magistrates’ Court on Friday remanded a 26-year-old man, Baffa Sani, in prison for allegedly having anal sex with a 10-year-old boy.

    Sani, who resides at Kurawa Quarters, Kano, is facing a charge of “unnatural” offence.

    The accused, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge.

    The Chief Magistrate, Muhammad Jibril, who gave the ruling, said the accused should remain behind bars until the next date of adjournment.

    The Police Prosecutor, Insp. Pogu Lale, had told the court that on March 20, the complainant, Awaisu Ibrahim of Tudun Wuzurci Quarters, Kano, reported the case at Mandawari Police Divisional Headquarters, Kano.

    Lale alleged that the accused had at 1.30 p.m. the accused lured the complainant’s 10-year-old brother, who was returning home from school, into an uncompleted building situated at Kurawa Quarters, Kano.

    “The accused forcefully had sex with the boy through the anus,” he said.

    The offence contravened Section 284 of the Penal Code.

    The case has been adjourned until April 30 for mention.

    NAN