A woman, Zainab Fatai (20), and four men namely, Nurudeen Jimoh (18), Azeez Adeleye (20), Yusuf Fekoya (18) and Tunde Ahmed (19), were on Wednesday arraigned before an Apapa Magistrates’ Court for allegedly using offensive weapons in Apapa.
They are facing a nine-count charge bordering on conspiracy, unlawful assembly, possession of offensive weapons, stealing and breach of peace.
The prosecutor, Sergeant Iyabosa Onaiwu, told the court that the defendants committed the offences on January 3, 2019 at about 9am at Alayabiagba Boundary Market, Ajegunle, Apapa.
“The defendants conspired together in an unlawful assembly to disturb the peace of Alayabiagba Boundary Market,” Onaiwu said.
The prosecutor also said that the defendants with the application of violence stole one Tecno phone valued at N30,000 property of one Kumeyin Nuratu.
Onaiwu added that the defendants were found armed with knives, charm and other offensive weapons in the market without authority.
She said the defendants conducted themselves in a manner likely to cause fear in the market by fighting, throwing charms, carrying knives to chase people.
According to her, the offences are punishable under sections 411, 45, 45(2), 297(2)(a), 51, 54, 44(4), 56 and 168(d) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State of Nigeria 2015.
All the defendants pleaded not guilty to the charges brought against them.
In his ruling, Magistrate O.S Abioye granted the defendants bail in the sum of N100,000 with two sureties each in like sum.
The sureties, according to the Magistrate must furnish the court with evidence of tax payment to the Lagos State Government.
One of the sureties must be a blood relative to the defendants.
He adjourned the case till January 31, 2019 for mention.