Four persons have been charged for murder and arson by the Criminal Investigation Department of the Lagos State Police Command, Panti –Yaba. Subsequently, their matter is before a Lagos Chief Magistrates’ Court sitting at Ebute-Metta, Lagos.
Magistrate O. A. Komolafe ordered one of the accused persons, one Kamoru Hazzan, A.k.a Omo Alhaja, 32, remanded at the Ikoyi prisons for 30 days, pending advice from the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP), over the alleged murder of one Amande Lawal.
Those charged alongside Hassan are Abdullahi Dansofu, 30; Abdullahi Idris, 22; and Sanni Ogwu, 25.
Hassan, the secretary of Okada riders in Ijanikin area, is being tried on a three-count charge of murder, conspiracy and attempt to wit murder, and the three other accused are facing a three-count charge of arson, conspiracy and causing grievous harm.
At the arraignment of the four accused persons, the Prosecutor, an Assistant Superintendent Police, Elizabeth Ekuma, informed the court that Hassan committed the offences on May 19, 2015 at 11. 00 a.m. at Ira in Ijanikin Area.
The other three accused persons are said to have committed arson and attempted to kill one Mrs Misrat Hassan at her residence at No. 5, Asahada Street, Abule-Ira on the same day.
The Prosecutor alleged that the body of Amande Lawal was found lifeless, and named Hassan as the culprit.
”Dansofu, Idris and Ogwu, who were relatives of the deceased, went on a rampage and in a bid to retaliate the death of one of their own, they went to Hassan’s building and set it ablaze,” she said.
Ekuma also claimed that the other three accused attempted to murder one Mrs Misrat Hassan, mother of the first accused, Kamoru Hassan, by setting her ablaze and, stabbing his security guard, Onalo Onenyi, with broken bottles.
According to the prosecutor, the three accused damaged properties worth N10.5 million which include three buildings, a pick-up van, two motorcycles and blocks.
Ekuma noted that the offences contravened Sections 221, 228, 231, 243, 339 and 409 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.
Being a murder case, the plea of the first accused, Hassan, was not taken. The others charged with arson and grievous harm pleaded not guilty to the charges preferred against them.
Komolafe granted Donsofu, Idris, and Ogwu bail in the sum of N500, 000 with two sureties who must be resident within the court’s jurisdiction and provide certificate of residency from LASRAA.
The case has been adjourned to July 29 for DPP advice.