29-year-old Slaps Four Policemen, Tears Uniform

Ayomide Sikiru, a 29-year-old ex-convict, was taken before a Yaba Magistrates’ Court in Lagos on Thursday for allegedly stealing and assaulting four police officers.

Sikiru, who lives in the Mushin area of the state, is charged with stealing, serious assault, and resisting arrest on three counts.

He, on the other hand, has entered a not guilty plea to the accusations.

The defendant committed the offenses at 8.40 a.m. on Oct. 13 at the WAEC bus stop on Herbert Macaulay Way, Yaba, Lagos, according to the police prosecutor, Insp. Magaji Haruna.

He claimed the defendant stole a Tecno Camon X phone worth N55,000 from the complainant, Miss Rufina Ezeanowi, while they were both riding in a tricycle.

According to him, the complainant observed that her phone had gone stolen and alerted others, who searched the defendant and discovered the phone on him.

Haruna claimed that when four police officers arrived on the scene, the defendant attempted to flee and assaulted them with slaps and fist blows.

The defendant allegedly assaulted DSP Alkali Sunday, ASP Adesina Adeyinka, and Insp. Emmanuel Ajayi, as well as ripping Sgt. Yusuf Onuche’s shirt.

He also informed the court that the defendant had previously served a year in prison for theft and had previously been convicted of a felony.

Sections 287 (1), 174 (a), and 117 (2) of the Lagos State Criminal Laws, 2015, were violated. (Revised).

According to the Nigerian News Agency (NAN), resisting arrest is punishable by three years in prison or a fine of N200,000.

Serious violence is punishable by three years in prison under section 174 (a), while stealing is punishable by seven years in prison under section 287 (1).

Mrs. O.Y. Adefope, the Magistrate, granted the defendant bail in the sum of N500, 000 with two sureties in the same amount.

According to NAN, she stipulated that both sureties must be residents of the court’s jurisdiction and gainfully employed, with proof of tax payments to the Lagos State Government.

Adefope went on to say that the sureties’ addresses must be verified by the court, and that civil workers and self-employed people are exempt.

The case was adjourned until November 4 for further consideration by the magistrate.