Four former Special Anti-Robbery Squad officers appeared in court on Tuesday after they were re-arraigned by the Lagos State government over allegations of theft, among others.
The former officers whose names are Adeniran Adebowale, Adeoye Adekunle, Odigbhe Hehosa, and Agbi Lucky, had been dismissed by the force, following a preliminary investigation into the case.
However, after the Lagos State government revisited the case, they were slammed with three a count charge of conspiracy and abuse of office and arraigned before a High Court.
The officers insisted that they were not guilty to all the charges.
Their initial dismissal came after one Bishop, whose name is Chukwudi Odionye, wrote a petition that led to their trial at a Magistrate court. There, they faced charges such as armed robbery, kidnapping, threats, intimidation, and unlawful detention.
The Bishop explained that the four officers barged into his residence in Alagbado, Lagos, on June 4, 2017, and arrested him, based on the claim that he was performing fake miracles. Then, they took him to a hotel in Agege area, detained and threatened to kill him if he refused to cooperate.
Out of fear, Bishop took them to the bank a day after and transferred a total of N7 million naira to the one the officers.
During the proceedings, the lawyer to the defendants, A.O. Auguegebobo submitted a bail application, and when the prosecuting counsel did not object it, the presiding judge, Justice Hakeem Oshodi, asked the officers to pay a sum of N500,000 as part of the conditions of their bail.
However, he asked that they present two sureties – one police officer with a minimum of an inspector rank, and one blood relation.
Their trial is set to commence on October 15, 2019.
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