19th October, 2018
Paul Iyoghojie
Four drivers have been arrested and arraigned before a Lagos Magistrate Court for allegedly using broken bottle to stab two officials of the Lagos State traffic Management Authority, LASTMA in the head and hand.
The drivers, Obinna Odele, 21; Dada Alare, 45; Moses Nwazu, 36 and Collins Ibe 22, attacked the LASTMA officials-Kareem Adebajo, aka Dbanj and Wasiu Adegbola, who were attached to the Victoria Island office of the authority for daring to arrest their colleague, Adewale Olofina now at large.
It was gathered that the timely intervention of the Divisional Police Officer, DPO in charge of the Bar Breach, Victoria Island, Lagos, CSP Isah Lawal saved the LASTMA officials from being killed by the accused persons as he reportedly dispatched his men to the scene of the fracas to restore order following a distress call and arrested the accused persons while the alleged mastermind managed to escape.
The accused were charged before the Igbosere Magistrate Court, Lagos on a two-count charge of felony to wit, attacking LASTMA officials on lawful duty with broken bottles and inflicted injury occasioning bodily harm.
Police counsel, Reuben Solomon informed the court in Charge No: L/74/2018 that the accused persons committed the alleged offence in October, 2018 at Law School bus stop along Ozumba Mbadiwe Street, Victoria Island, Lagos.
Solomon told the court that the complainants arrested a driver, Adewale Olofina for traffic offence but that instead of him to be remorseful, he instead ran to Obalende, Ikoyi, to invite the accused persons to attack the complainants with broken bottles and sticks, inflicting injuries on their hands and heads, with blood gushing out.
He said the timely intervention of the police saved the complainants from being killed by the accused who disarmed and arrested the accused persons while Olofina escaped.
Solomon said that the offences committed were punishable under sections 411 and 173 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State, 2015.
The accused, however, pleaded not guilty to the offences in the open court and Magistrate A. M. Davies granted them bail in the sum of N50,000 each with two sureties each in like sum.
Davies adjourned the case till 23 October, 2018 for mentioned and ordered that the defendants be kept at the Ikoyi Prison, Lagos till they perfected their bail conditions.