15-year-olds, 5 Others Arraigned for Assault, Attacking Palace

Two 15-year-olds and five other men have been arraigned before the Ebute Meta Magistrate’s Court for allegedly cutting one Olanrewaju Ganiyu’s hand with a machete, while also threatening a traditional ruler.

The accused, Segun Fatoke,15, Abiodun Kazeem, 15, Taiwo Tokosi, 55, Morufu Jimoh,58, Mayowa Jofoba,20, Nurudeen Olabanji,19, Segun and Anuchi Afam, 23,  were arraigned on seven counts of disrespect for court judgment, assault, misdemeanour and felony, in a criminal suit instituted by the Inspector General of Police.

The police said the defendants had conspired to defeat a Supreme Court’s judgment which gave  the ownership of “Iganmu land” to the traditional ruler of Ijora, Oba Fatai Aromire.

They were also said to have stormed the palace of the monarch with firearms, "which placed him in a state of fear and reasonable apprehension of violence."

In the ensuing affray, the police said the seven accused persons damaged the Oba’s property such as four cars’ windscreen, two vehicles, and three Keke Napep glasses, totalling N7m.

They also allegedly damaged three fences estimated at N750,000 and assaulted Ganiyu by cutting his right hand with a machete and hitting his face with a stone.

The crimes were said to have been committed between July 2009 and July 2013.

The seven counts read in part, 

"That you, Taiwo Tokosi, Morufu Jimoh, Mayowa Jofoba, Nurudeen Olabanji, Segun Fatoke, Abiodun Kazeem, and Anuchi Afam, on the above-mentioned date, place and in the aforesaid Magisterial District did show act of disrespect to the judgment of the Supreme Court in suit No: SC/54/2005 delivered on the 3rd day of April 2009 against you and after the judgment by taking possession of land known and called Iganmu Land situated at Ijora and Iganmu District of Lagos in possession of HRM Oba Fatai Aromire and others."

The prosecutor said the men had breached Sections 411(1), 104(1) (h), 56, 348, 56, 348 and 171 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State, Nigeria, 2011.

The men said they were not guilty of the charges.

The magistrate, Mr. O.O Olatunji, admitted the defendants to bail in the sum of N200,000 each with two sureties in like sum.

The matter was adjourned till September 2.

PUNCH