Three men – Kujembola Olawashina (36), Kola Afolabi, (42), Alade Adeyinka (26) and a female, Toyin Obide (49) – were on Monday arraigned at the Ikeja Magistrates’ Court for assaulting and unlawfully detaining a police officer.
The defendants were docked on a four-count charge of conspiracy, breach of the peace, assault and obstructing police officer from performing his duty.
They, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges.
According to the police prosecutor, ASP Ezekiel Ayorinde, the defendants and others still at large committed the offences on November 18 at Edge Base Technology, Ikeja.
He said the defendants conducted themselves in a manner likely to cause a breach of the peace by beating, obstructing and detaining a police officer attached to Area F Police Command, Ikeja, from executing his duty.
He said: “The complainant went to the defendants’ company to arrest one of their staff who failed to honour the police invitation in a case of fraud and stealing.
“The defendants prevented the complainant from arresting the suspect.
“They beat him up and locked him inside a room.
“When the complainant was finally freed without executing his duty, he came back with his colleagues to arrest the defendants while the others escaped.”
The alleged offences contravene Sections 164, 117, 174 and 411 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015 and punishable under same.
The Magistrate, Mrs. B.O. Osunsanmi, granted the defendants bail in the sum of N200,000 each with two sureties, who should be gainfully employed and show evidence of two years’ tax payment to the Lagos State Government.
She adjourned the case till February 17, 2020.
