NAN-H-91
Assault
By Ife Akintola
Enugu, Sept. 28, 2016 (NAN) A filling station manager, Innocent Aja, was on Wednesday arraigned before Enugu North Magistrates’ Court for allegedly beating a lawyer, Eze Nwakeze for parking in the station.
Nwakeze told the court during cross examination that the incident occurred in Jan. 6, 2015 at a filling station near the Holy Ghost Park, Ogbete Market in Enugu.
The complainant said that he parked his car at the filling station to buy a ticket for a trip to Lagos and left his brother inside the car.
He added that when he came back to collect his luggage from the car, he saw the defendant deflating his tyres.
Nwakeze said that when he queried Aja to ascertain the reason for the action, the defendant stood up and punched him.
“I tried to call the police but before I could give them the location of where we were, the defendant took the phone and smashed it on the ground.
“As he tried to sneak away, I ran after him and he continued punching me.
“My brother was helpless as other touts joined the man in beating me before the arrival of the police.
“I did not fight him while he was beating me; all I did was try to get the attention of the police for intervention and assistance,” Nwakeze said.
The complainant claimed that his black berry Z10 and National ID card were stolen while his shirt was torn into shreds.
He said that the cost of the damage was N63, 000.
In his testimony, brother of the complainant Theophilus Eze said that he witnessed mob attack on his brother but could not do anything because of their number.
“I parked the car following the directive of one of the female attendants in the filling station and had just gone to inquire about transportation across the road,” Eze said.
He said that by the time he came to help his brother with his luggage, he saw the mob beating him until two men who claimed to be soldiers intervened and rescued his brother.
However, Defence counsel, Mr Edmund Ukoha dismissed Nwakeze’s testimony as false and unreliable.
Ukoha explained that the scuffle began when Nwakeze saw Aja deflating his tyres; the complainant pushed the defendant and he fell down.
He accused Nwakeze of acting like a motor park tout by engaging in a fight with a man at his place of work.
The Presiding Magistrate, Mr Lawrence Ukpai adjourned the matter till Oct.11 for continuation of hearing. (NAN)
IOA/MNA/AEA
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(Edited by Maureen Atuonwu and Controlled by Archibong Asuquo)