Kemisola Oye
AN immigration officer, Umar Mohammed has been docked before a Lagos Lagos High Court sitting in Tafawa Balewa Square (TBS) over an alleged assault.
Mohammed was docked before Justice Sherifat Sonaike on a two counts charge but his plea was not taken.
His counsel, Ms. O.F Osineye prayed the court not to take the defendant’s plea, stating she was not served with the proof of evidence as well as the charge against the defendant.
It would be recalled that the defendant has been absent in court to take his plea on the alleged assault charge filed against him by the state government.
Following his absence, the state counsel, Mr. M.A. Olateju and Mr. Alaba Kuku filed an application for the court to issue a criminal summons against him to appear in court.
The court had on 19 January 2023, during the last sitting, issued a summons to Mohammed sequel to his refusal to appear in court to defend the charge.
The judge ordered the Comptroller-General of Immigration to bring the defendant to court.
The state government had in a charge marked LD/120518c/2022 filed against Mohammed, alleged that he unlawfully assaulted one Oluwafemi Adeyemi Badiru, by slapping him in his office and causing his nose to bleed.
The alleged assault on Badiru occurred on 30 July 2019 at Nigerian Immigration Service Ikoyi, Lagos.
However, at the resumed hearing of the matter today, the prosecutor, Olateju prayed the court that the defendant’s plea be taken.
His submission was opposed by the defendant’s counsel (Osineye), who told the court that she was not served with the proof of evidence. She added that the defendant was absent from court due to an official (national) assignment and prayed the court for a further date.
Olateju, therefore, served her in open court, noted that the defendant didn’t have a lawyer and did not come to court for his counsel to be served.
Following their submission, Justice Sonaike ordered the defendant’s counsel to make an undertaking that the defendant will be in court on the next adjourned date for his arraignment.
The judge said, “It was an arduous task before the defendant could come to court. The most important thing is for him to be here to explain what happened and how it happened.
“The learned counsel for the defendant is hereby directed to file an undertaken at the registry that on 20, 23 April, the defendant will be in court for arraignment or I remand him in a correctional centre till the next adjourn date.”
Justice Sonaike subsequently adjourned arraignment to 20 April 2023
Part of the charge reads: “That you Umar Mohammed on or about 30 July 2019 at the Nigerian Immigration Service office, Ikoyi, Lagos State, in the Lagos Judicial Division did unlawfully assault one Badiru Adeyemi Oluwafemi while executing his lawful official duty.”
His offence is said to be contrary to sections 173, 174 (e) of the Criminal Law Ch. C17, vol. 3 Laws of Lagos State 2015.
Eighteen-Eleven Media