MICHAEL AKINOLA
A 31-year old man, Monsuru Babatunde, has landed in trouble in Lagos State after he allegedly lured his neighbour, Azeez Mobolaji, to an uncompleted building, beat him mercilessly and he died in the process.
P.M.EXPRESS reports that the suspect, Babatunde, has been arrested, charged for murder and remanded in custody for death of late Mobolaji.
The incident happened on 7th August, 2022, around 10.20 pm at Aseji, Ogombo area of the State.
According to the Police, the suspect and his friends still at large, were said to have taken the deceased to an uncompleted building and battered him over an undisclosed matter and he died after the beating.
The matter was reported to the Police in the area and the suspect was arrested and transferred to the SCID, Yaba, for further investigation.
After thorough interrogation, the Police found him culpable and subsequently charged him before the Yaba Magistrates Court for conspiracy and murder under the Criminal Laws of the State.
The prosecutor, Thomas Nurudeen, told the Court that the alleged offences committed contravened and is punishable under Section 233 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, Nigeria, 2015.
Part of the charge read, “That you, Monsuru Babatunde, and others still at large on August 7, 2022, around 4.30 pm at Ogombo Police Station, in the Lagos State Magisterial District did cause the death of one Azeez Mobolaji by beating him up and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 233 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, Nigeria, 2015″.
However, when he was arraigned, the Court did not take his plea following a motion moved by the prosecutor, Supol Thomas Nurudeen, asking the Court to refer the matter to the DPP for advice.
The Presiding Magistrate, P. E. Nwaka, ordered his remand in custody at the Correctional Center at Ikoyi pending the outcome of the DPP’s advice and directed the prosecutor to duplicate the file and send it to the DPP.
The matter was adjourned till 25th May, 2023, for mention for the DPP’s advice to be available, lwhich will determine if the matter will be transferred to the High Court or not over jurisdiction.