6th January, 2018
Paul Iyoghojie
A driver has been arrested and arraigned before a Lagos Magistrate Court for allegedly using a UTC cutlass to cut the right hand of an official of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority, LASTMA.
The driver, Mohammed Akinsola attacked the LASTMA officer, Adeyemi Tunde, who is attached to the Victoria Island office of the authority for daring to arrest him for traffic offence.
It was gathered that the timely intervention of the Divisional Police Officer, DPO in charge of Bar Beach Division,Victoria Island, Lagos, CSP Olusegun Ajamolaya saved the LASTMA official from being killed by the accused as he reportedly dispatched his men to the scene of the fracas to restore order following a distress call and arrested the accused and took him to the station with the cutlass.
After investigation, the accused was charged before an Igbosere Magistrate Court, Lagos on two count charges of felony to wit, attacking a LASTMA officer on lawful duty with a UTC cutlass and cut him on his right hand.
Police Counsel, Cyriacus Osuji informed the court in charge No. L/04/2018 that the accused committed the offence on 3 January, 2018 at Law School bus stop along the Ozumba Mbadiwe Road, Victoria Island, Lagos.
Osuji told the court that the complainant arrested the accused for traffic offence, but that instead of the accused to be remorseful, he, instead brought out a UTC cutlass from his vehicle to attack the complainant and cut him on his right hand with blood gushing out.
He said the timely intervention of the police saved the complainant from being killed by the accused who disarmed and arrested him and took him to the station and the victim to the hospital for treatment.
Osuji said that the offences the accused committed were punishable under sections 240 and 245 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State, 2015.
The accused pleaded not guilty to the alleged offence in the open court and Senior Magistrate A.T Omoyele granted him bail in the sum of N100,000 with two sureties in like sum.
Omoyele adjourned the case until 29 January, 2018 for mention and ordered that the accused be kept at Ikoyi Prison till he fulfilled the bail conditions.