MICHAEL AKINOLA
Three suspected land grabbers, Benson Actor, 42, Ojo-Lanre, 45 and Samad Okanlawon, 38, have been arrested and charged in Lagos State for allegedly using thugs to beat a land owner, Lati Sule Kehinde, to death and grabbed his N170m landed property in Lagos State.
P.M.EXPRESS reports that the incident happened in the month of March, 2022, at Moshalashi area of Alimosho, Lagos.
According to the Police, the suspects conspired and threatened the deceased land owner with Hoodlums, who intimidated, assaulted him and he died in the process.
The matter was reported to the Police at Area P Command, Alagbado. The suspects were then arrested and detained at the Command for interrogation over their alleged conduct.
After interrogation, the Police found them culpable and consequently charged them before the Ejigbo Magistrate Court for the alleged offence, which attracts several years of imprisonment.
The charges read:
COUNT I: “That you, Benson Actor ‘M’, Ojo-Lanre Michael ‘M’, Samad Okanlawon ‘M’ and others at large, sometime in the month of March, 2022, at Moshalashi area of Alimosho, Lagos, in the Lagos Magisterial District, did conspire among yourselves to commit felony to wit assault, threat to life and conduct likely to cause breach of peace and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 411 of the criminal law of Lagos State of Nigeria 2015.”
COUNT II:”That you, Benson Actor ‘M’, Ojo-Lanre Michael ‘M’, Samad Okanlawon ‘M’ and others at large on the same date, and place in the aforementioned Magisterial District, did assault one Lati Sule Kehinde ‘M’ by beating him up and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 173 of the criminal laws of Lagos State of Nigeria, 2015.”
COUNT III:”That you, Benson Actor ‘M’, Ojo-Lanre Michael ‘M’, Samad Okaniawon ‘M’ and others at large on the same date, and place in the aforementioned Magisterial District, did threaten the life of Lati Sule Kehinde ‘M’ till death with the use of hoodlums and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 56(1)(a) of the criminal laws of Lagos State of Nigeria 2015.”
COUNT IV:”That you, Benson Actor ‘M’, Ojo-Lanre Michael ‘M’, Samad Okanlawon ‘M’ and others at large on the same date, and place in the aforementioned Magisterial District, did fraudulently convert to your personal use a landed property worth the sum of One Hundred and Seventy Million Naira (N170,000,000.00K) property of Late Sule Kehinde’s family and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 280(1b) and punishable under Section 287 of the criminal laws of Lagos State of Nigeria 2015.”
COUNT V: “That you, Benson Actor ‘M’, Ojo-Lanre Michael ‘M’, Samad Okanlawon M’ and others at large on the same date, and place in the aforesaid Magisterial District, did conduct yourselves in a manner likely to cause breach of peace by beating up one Lati Sule Kehinde and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 168(d) of the criminal law of Lagos State of Nigeria, 2015.”
However, they pleaded not guilty.
The prosecutor, Supol Josephine Ihkayere, then asked the Court to give a date for hearing since they pleaded not guilty to enable the Police to prove that they actually committed the alleged offence.
The Presiding Magistrate, Mr. L.A. Owolabi, granted them bail with sureties, who must show evidence of means of livelihood and tax payment while addresses will be verified by the Court.
The matter was adjourned for mention while the defendants were remanded in custody at the correctional center at Kirikiri town, Lagos, pending when they will perfect their bail conditions.