The police in Ogun State have charged three #EndSARS protesters with attempted murder and vandalising a Lexus Sports Utility Vehicle worth N100 million.
The three protesters – Adeniji Sodiq (25), Mutairu Faruq (19), and Olatoye Joseph (23) – were also accused of using dangerous weapons.
The defendants were brought before a Magistrate Court in Abeokuta on Monday. However, the plea of the defendants was not taken.
In the suit marked M/SC/29/2020, the police preferred four charges against the defendants. One of the charges read, “That you, Adeniji Sodiq ‘m’, Mutairu Faruq ‘m’, Olatoye Olalekan Josep ‘m’ on the same date, time and place in the aforesaid magisterial district did attempt to kill one Ajagbusi Taofik ‘m’ by hitting him with dangerous weapons and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 320(1) of the Criminal Code, Laws of Ogun State, 2006.
“That you, Adeniji Sodiq ‘m’, Mutairu Faruq ‘m’, Olatoye Olalekan Josep ‘m’ on the same date, time and place in the aforesaid magisterial district did unlawfully and maliciously damaged Lexus 570 Bullet proof 2019 model valued N100, 000, 000 property of one Alhaji Olabode Kacheef Oyedele ‘m’ and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 451 of the Criminal Code, Laws of Ogun State, 2006.”
The police applied for an ex parte order to detain the three defendants for 60 days to allow them to investigate the case thoroughly. However, the court ordered that they be detained for 14 days.
The Ogun State Police Command had last week arrested 31 protesters. About 28 of them were released while three were charged.