NAN-H-63
Tailor
By Teniola Ibitola
Lagos, Jan. 10, 2017(NAN) A robbery suspect, Muhammed Hassan, 30, was on Tuesday granted a N250,000-bail by Magistrate O.O.A. Fowowe-Erusiafe of an Ebute Meta Chief Magistrate Court in Lagos State.
The magistrate also ruled that Hassan must provide two responsible sureties in like sum, saying one of whom must be his blood relation and be gainfully employed.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Fowowe-Erusiafe granted the bail to the accused after she had listened to the arguments from both sides.
She then upheld the argument of the defence counsel and ruled that the plea of the accused be retaken.
“The prosecution must place concrete evidence before the court to remand the accused.
“And in the remand application; there was no weapon found on the accused, so the application for remand is hereby over ruled,” she said.
She then adjourned the case to Feb. 15 for trial.
NAN also reports that the accused, a tailor by profession, is facing trial on a two-count charge of conspiracy and armed robbery.
The counsel to the accused, Alli Abba, had argued against the application of remand brought against his client citing that the police had failed to link Hassan with the alleged offences.
“In the remand application before me, there was no weapon found with the accused and the police had stated that they had concluded their investigations.
“For this reason; I see no reason why the accused should be remanded, the charge was just cooked-up by the police to keep the accused in prison,’’ the counsel said.
Earlier the prosecutor, Sgt. Maria Dauda, had told the court that the accused committed the offences on Dec. 24, 2016 at about 1. 30 a.m.,at Gbaja Street in Surulere.
She alleged that the accused, while armed with dangerous weapons, had robbed one Oluwa Raheem of his possession.
The prosecutor listed items stolen by the accused then as: a Toyota Rav 4 jeep with Reg. No. EKY 603 BJ, a Samsung Galaxy J7, another Samsung phone and a silver necklace, all valued at N2.716 million.
Dauda said that the offences committed by the accused contravened Sections 259 and 294 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011. (NAN)
OAT/PAD
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Edited by Peter Dada