By Onozure Dania

Lagos—Magistrate Abimbola Komolafe of an Ikeja Magistrate’s Court has struck out a two-count criminal charge filed by the police against one Adebayo Orekoya over alleged attempt to kidnap a Lagos socialite, Adelekun Victor, popularly known as Ade Lexus.

The police had in August 2014, arraigned Orekoya over allegation that he conspired with other persons also standing trial in another court to attempt to kidnap Ade Victor.

The offence, according to the police, is punishable under Sections 271 and 410 of the criminal laws of Lagos State of Nigeria, 2011.

During Orekoya’s arraignment, he insisted he was innocent of the crime and pleaded not guilty to the charge.

However, after several adjournments caused by the failure of prosecution witnesses and the Police Investigating Officer, IPO, to appear before the court, Magistrate, Komolafe struck out the case for lack of diligent prosecution.

Reacting to the court ruling, Orekoya’s counsel, Terry Badmus, said his client was only being persecuted for sending some boys to trail Ade who he claimed was sending love messages to his wife.

He said his client’s intention for trailing Ade was to warn him to desist from sending such messages to his wife.

Badmus said his client’s discharge by the court was a justification that the police cooked up the attempted kidnapping charge against him.