A total of 48 persons, including two women, on Monday, appeared before a Yaba Chief Magistrate’s Court in Lagos for alleged unlawful protest and killing of a woman.
The defendants, who allegedly committed the offences at 10 a.m. on July 3, at Ojota area of Lagos, are jointly facing a three-count charge of conspiracy, unlawful assembly and breach of peace to which they pleaded not guilty.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that one of the defendants, Tajudeen Bakare, is facing two extra counts of murder and unlawful possession of arms.
Police Prosecutor, Mr Adejoke Adebesin told the court that Bakare, during the protest shot a passerby, Miss Jumoke Oyeleke, with a Barretta pistol which was recovered from his possession.
He further stated that the defendant drove a Jeep with Registration No. LSR 322 FK, and killed the deceased from the window of the car.
The offences contravened Sections 411, 168(d), 223, 330, 44 (1)(2)(3)(4) of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State 2015. (Revised)
NAN reports that Section 330 stipulates seven years imprisonment for the offence of unlawful possession of arms while 223 stipulates the death penalty for the offence of murder.
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The prosecutor said that the defendants gathered for a protest that was not permitted to hold and began to disturb the peace of the neighborhood.
Chief Magistrate Mrs Adeola Adedayo admitted the 47 defendants to N300, 000 bail each with two sureties in like sum and remanded Bakare, who is facing mucder charge, to a correctional center while awaiting legal advice from Lagos State Directorate of Public Prosecution (DPP).
She directed that both sureties must be residing within the court’s jurisdiction and be gainfully employed with evidence of three years of tax payment to the Lagos State Government.
She added that one of the sureties must be either a cultural, religious, or traditional leader in the court’s jurisdiction and both sureties must submit copies of their National Identification Number (NIN) to the court.
She adjourned the case until Aug. 16 for mention/ review of remand.(NAN)