The police on Tuesday arraigned 16 men before an Apapa Magistrates’ Court for allegedly damaging vehicles and smoking India hemp in Apapa.
The men are Michael Ogede (31), Qudus Tajudeen (19), Muftau Akeem (18), Kazeem Ajiboye (37), Mayowa Usman (33), Ayinde Alimi (26), Akeem Riliwan (24), Ahmed Ibrahim (19), Idowu Alibi (32), Adisa Mohammed (40), Bashiru Tosin (18), Oluwasegun Fawaz (18), Ismaila Olawoyin (22), Damilare Adeoye (18) and Kazeem Olatunji (40).
They are facing a six-count charge bordering on conspiracy, stealing, unlawful society, damaging vehicles, possessing dangerous weapon and breach of peace.
The prosecutor, Inspector Sunday Bassey, told the court that the defendants committed the offences on October 5, 2018 at about 6pm at Gaskiya Road, Ijora-Badia, Apapa.
“The defendants conspired together to damage all the side glasses of one Toyota Camry salon car with registration number APP 232 AG value not yet ascertain property of one Rafiu Koleosho and also damaged all the side glasses and windscreen of one Xteral Jeep unregistered value not yet ascertain property of one Adewale Sangodele,” Bassey said.
The prosecutor also said that the defendants conducted themselves in a manner likely to cause breach of peace by smoking weed suspected to be India hemp in the public.
Bassey added that the defendants had in their possession dangerous weapon such as cutlass and knife to attack members of the public.
The police prosecutor told the court that the defendants managed unlawful society by committing act of violence as well as disturbances of peace.
“The defendants stole provision items valued at N200,000 property of one Mariam Yinusa,” Bassey said.
According to him, the offences are punishable under sections 412, 287(a), 56(b), 350, 329(b) and 168(d) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State 2015
The second, ninth, eleventh and fifth defendants pleaded guilty while the rest pleaded not guilty to the charges brought against them.
Magistrate A.S Okubule granted the defendants bail in the sum of N100,000 with two sureties in like sum.
The sureties, according to the Magistrate, must be furnish the court with proof of tax payment to the Lagos State Government.
She said one of the sureties must be a blood relation to the defendant.
She adjourned the case till November 26, 2018 for facts and sentence and also for mention.