Court Discharges 34-Year-Old Robbery Suspect

An FCT High Court, Gudu, Abuja, on Monday discharged a 35-year-old robbery suspect, Kelechi Isaac, for lack of diligent prosecution. Isaac was charged for alleged conspiracy and armed robbery.

Earlier, Mrs Ijeoma Ukagha, the prosecutor, had told the court that the complainants in the matter had abandoned the case.

“Since inception of this matter, the prosecution has been found wanting.

“ In spite every attempt to convince the complainants to come for this matter, every attempt has proved abortive,” she said.

She also said that the case, which was first filed two years ago, had suffered several adjournments with no single witness willing to testify in court. The trial judge, Abubakar Talba, said he was discharging Isaac based on the summation of the prosecutor that the complainants had abandoned the case.

Talba said that the beauty of prosecution was to prosecute and not to persecute and that where the prosecution was found wanting, the law had to take its course.

He also said that justice delayed was justice delayed, adding that he had no other option than to discharge the defendant.

The defendant, who was first arraigned in court on July 29, 2015, had pleaded not guilty to the two-count charge of conspiracy and armed robbery.

-PM

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Lagos CJ frees 153 Kirikiri inmates

The Chief Judge of Lagos State, Justice Oluwafunmilayo Atilade, on Wednesday released 153 awaiting trial inmates from the Kirikiri Maximum and Medium prisons. Among the pardoned inmates were 79 being tried for capital offences.

Three of the freed inmates had been standing trial for over 15 years. Justice Atilade said the amnesty granted the inmates was in line with statutory duty to ensure that the prisons were not congested. She admonished the pardoned inmates to make the best of the amnesty by not returning to criminal activities.

The Chief Judge solicited the support of all relevant stakeholders in the justice system in the effort to decongest the prisons.

Justice Atilade was accompanied on the visit by senior judges from the state high court, officials of the Lagos Ministry of Justice, members of the Nigerian Bar Association, various non-governmental organisations and representatives of the Nigeria Police.

In his remark, the Deputy Comptroller in charge of the Kirikiri Maximum Prison, Seye Oduntan, thanked the CJ for the amnesty gesture. Oduntan, who noted that there were still many inmates who deserved pardon, urged the Chief Judge to ensure the continuity of the exercise.

As of Wednesday, the Kirikiri Maximum prison with a holding capacity of 1,053 inmates housed 1,235 inmates. Among them were 772 awaiting trial inmates and 209 convicts. There were 171 inmates on death row, 83 were serving life sentence.

At the Medium prison with a holding capacity of 1,700 inmates, there were 2,853 inmates as of Wednesday. Among them, 2,726 were awaiting trial, 128 had been convicted, 25 were designated as lodgers, 19 are detainees while only one inmate is condemned.

-Punch

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Man remanded for biting off police officer’s ear

An Ikeja Chief Magistrates’ Court in Lagos on Monday remanded one Ibrahim Ayelangbe in prison custody for biting off a police officer’s ear. The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the Magistrate, Mrs Oluwadamilola Olanipekun, gave the order following the guilty plea of the accused when the charge was read to him.

Ayelangbe, 27, whose address is not known, is facing three charges bordering on unlawful entry and grievous assault. The prosecutor, Insp Benson Emuerhi, told the court that the accused viciously assaulted Cpl. Ebere Nwogidi on July 10 at 3:00am. He said the accused was caught trying to gain entrance into No. 21, Temple Road, Ikoyi, Lagos, when he was accosted.

“Ayelangbe was caught while trying to jump a fence into a private residence at Ikoyi.

“The accused attempted to escape from Cpl. Omede Isaiah and one Ebere Nwogidi led to a scuffle.

“Ayelangbe then bit off the left ear of Nwogidi,” Emuerhi said.

The prosecutor said the offences contravened Sections 172, 243 and 306 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011. NAN reports that Section 172 provides three years imprisonment for anyone found guilty. Olanipekun adjourned the case till October 2 for hearing and verdict.

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Man remanded for biting off police officer’s ear

An Ikeja Chief Magistrates’ Court in Lagos on Monday remanded one Ibrahim Ayelangbe in prison custody for biting off a police officer’s ear. The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the Magistrate, Mrs Oluwadamilola Olanipekun, gave the order following the guilty plea of the accused when the charge was read to him.

Ayelangbe, 27, whose address is not known, is facing three charges bordering on unlawful entry and grievous assault. The prosecutor, Insp Benson Emuerhi, told the court that the accused viciously assaulted Cpl. Ebere Nwogidi on July 10 at 3:00am. He said the accused was caught trying to gain entrance into No. 21, Temple Road, Ikoyi, Lagos, when he was accosted.

“Ayelangbe was caught while trying to jump a fence into a private residence at Ikoyi.

“The accused attempted to escape from Cpl. Omede Isaiah and one Ebere Nwogidi led to a scuffle.

“Ayelangbe then bit off the left ear of Nwogidi,” Emuerhi said.

The prosecutor said the offences contravened Sections 172, 243 and 306 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011. NAN reports that Section 172 provides three years imprisonment for anyone found guilty. Olanipekun adjourned the case till October 2 for hearing and verdict.

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Man reminded in prison for eight months after failing to meet bail terms

A Lagos State High Court sitting in Ikeja was on Tuesday reminded that a 37-year old Max Evbayiro was still being remanded in prison owing to his inability to meet up with the terms of his release eight month after he was granted bail.

Evbayiro was eight months ago charged for having fraudulent documents in possession.He was arraigned on a 12-count charge by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, with the term of this bail set at N10m which also required him to submit his international passport and two sureties. He however could not meet up with the conditions.

Meanwhile, the presiding Judge, Justice Oluwatoyin Ipaye, at the resumed hearing, adjourned the case to April 23 for further hearing.

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