The President of the Aguiyi Ironsi International Trade Centre, Ladipo Market, Lagos, Jonathan Okoli and 13 others have been arraigned before an Igbosere Magistrates Court, Lagos, for allegedly attack ing a team of policemen with rifles.Other accused persons are Isaac Udeh (48); Amselem Emecheta (50); Oluchi Eze (30); Ernest Anagemba (55); Ifeanyi Oguguo (35); Obinna Okafor (32); Chukwu Daniel (23); Nwodo Friday (29); Ejike Okafor (26); Chinedu Okafor (35); Obinna Nwankwor (23); Chukwujekwu Izueke (33) and Chukwuebuka Okafor (25).The accused allegedly engaged men of the Federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad of the Nigeria Police led by Mr. Usman Abubakar, an Assistant Superintendent of Police, in a gun duel in a bid to resist arrest on November 4.The policemen had gone to arrest the accused based on allegations that they terrorised and assaulted traders and residents living in the area.It was also alleged that they freely brandished sundry weapons during the process and unleashed terror on the people.A Mossberg pump action gun with no. D325601, a Falcon Delux pump action gun with no. 8783 and seven live cartridges were allegedly found on the accused when they were eventually arrested.The accused were charged with unlawful possession of fire-arms, threat to lives and malicious damage.The police said the offences were punishable under Section 3(1) Cap R II of the Robbery and Firearms(special provision) Laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 2004, sections 516 and 356 of the Criminal Code Laws of Lagos State,2004.All the accused pleaded not guilty to the charges.Police prosecutor Julius Oyakhilome, who held brief for Mr. Felix Ifijeh, put up a written application for an order of the court to remand all the accused in prison custody because of the need for further investigation and to take advice from the Director of Public Prosecutions.However, counsel to all the accused, Mr. Clement Onuenwunor, objected to Oyakhilomes application and asked the court to grant his clients bail.Onuenwunor argued that there was no need to remand them in custody since magistrate courts were empowered by law to hear cases of misdemeanour, citing relevant sections of the constitution.He said, The offences with which the accused are being held are related to bail. They are misdeamenours that this court has powers to hear and exercise discretion to grant bail.Besides, my clients have been held for more than 48 hours which is against the provision of the laws of the land. Since November 4, they have been out of contact with their loved ones. It will amount to injustice to further put them in detention.But Mr. Femi Martins, a lawyer, who claimed to have written the petition that led to the arrest of the accused asked the court to set aside Onuenwunors argument, stressing that granting the accused bail might result into interference with investigation.He said,If the accused could attack the police with guns and machetes I wonder what would happen if they are granted bail. They have on different ocassions ignored police invitation before the police decided to arrest them.They will simply interfere with the matter and jump bail which might deal a great blow to the course of justice.Magistrate Adebayo Sonuga in his ruling said the request by the police to remand the accused was not tenable and granted all the accused bail.It is of no point for the police to request the remand of the accused. The request for their remand is not tenable. The accused are hereby granted bail in the sum of N200,000 each with two sureties each in like sum, Sonuga said.The magistrate added that one of the sureties must be a manager of a reputable bank while the other must be a senior civil servant with the Lagos State Government not below level 12 who must furnish the court with a covering letter from the permanent secretary of the ministry confirming his/her level.The sureties are to also provide the court with verifiable residential and office addresses.The case has been adjourned till December 8 for mention.
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