MICHAEL AKINOLA
A landlady, Mrs. Kehinde Ejalonibu, received serious beating from her tenants, Ernest Okpo and his wife, Juliet Okpo, for refusing them from moving out from their apartment over rent arrears in Lagos State.
P.M.EXPRESS reports that the incident happened at Pipeline Street off Governor’s Road, Ikotun area of Lagos, where the tenants resided.
It was gathered that they had wanted to vacate the apartment after the landlady dragged them to Court over rent arrears.
However, trouble started after the couple decided to move out while the matter was still in Court as they went and brought a vehicle to park their property.
The landlady saw them and insisted that they will not move out because they still had a matter with her pending before the Court. And if they were allowed to leave, she may not recover the arrears of rent they were owing her.
While they were loading their property into the vehicle, the landlady tried to prevent them from doing so. They then held her, beat her mercilessly and bit her finger before she was forced to leave the property.
The matter was reported to the Police at Ikotun Division and the couple was arrested and detained for interrogation over their conduct.
During interrogation, they told the Police what happened and how she asked them to move out by taking them to Court and they decided to leave but she insisted that they will not leave until they conclude matter before the Court.
However, the Police found them culpable and subsequently charged them before the Ejigbo Magistrates Court for conspiracy and assault.
They pleaded not guilty.
The prosecutor, Inspector Simeon Njue, then asked the Court to give a date for hearing since they pleaded not guilty before Court to enable the Police to prove that they actually committed the alleged offence.
The Presiding Magistrate, Mrs. A.K. Dosumu, granted them bail in the sum of N100,000 with two sureties in like sum, who must show evidence of means of livelihood.
They were remanded in custody at the Correctional Centre at Kirikiri town, Lagos, pending when they will perfect their bail conditions while the matter was adjourned till 6th March, 2023, for mention.