MICHAEL AKINOLA
A Police Inspector, Friday Ozabor, attached to Area M Idimu Command Annex in Ijegun, has escaped death after he was wrongly accused of stealing iPhone worth N1.450m belonging to a suspect, Oluwole Arotiba Ifedayo, in Lagos State.
P.M.EXPRESS reports that the incident happened along Governor’s Road, Ikotun area of Lagos, where the victim, Inspector Friday went for routine monitoring and accosted Ifedayo, who raised alarm that he stole his phone.
Thus, the alarm attracted the attention of the hoodlums in the area, who then descended on Inspector Friday, inflicted injury and attempted to lynch him before he was later rescued. But by then he had sustained injuries on his body.
Later it was discovered that Ifedayo’s phone was not missing; he only used the ploy to prevent Friday from accosting him and claimed that he stole his phone, which would have caused Friday’s life.
He was consequently arrested and charged before the Ejigbo Magistrate Court for the alleged conduct likely to cause breach of public peace, assault and inciting the public against the Nigerian Police under the Criminal law of Laws of Lagos.
However, he pleaded not guilty.
The prosecutor, Inspector Simeon Njue, then asked the Court to give a date for hearing since he pleaded not guilty to enable the Police to prove that he actually committed the alleged offence.
The Presiding Magistrate Mrs. A.K. Dosumu-Uthman, granted him bail in the sum of N300,000 with two sureties in like sum, 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 defendant was remanded in custody at correctional center at Kirikiri town, Lagos, pending when he will perfect his bail conditions.