By Abdulwahab Abdulah and Jane Echewedo

Chief Magistrate Bola Osunsanmi of an Ikeja Magistrate Court Tuesday set free 32 out of the 177 suspects charged to court over the March 3, 2016 Mile 12 market riot in Kosofe local government area of Lagos state.

The decision of the court to strike out the charges filed by the police against the alleged offenders was based on the advise from the office of the State Director of Public Prosecution, DPP, which exonerated them on the ground that there was no prima facie case against them.

Magistrate Osunsanmi sets free 28 of the suspects who were advised not engage in such riots again while the remaining four were sent to correctional home at Oregun because they are underaged based on the advice of the DPP.

The teenagers sent to correctional home are Bilaminu Dauda 15, Abeeb Ibrahim 16, Sanusi Mohammed 17 and Rufai Ibrahim 15.

The four teenagers were in court ,Tuesday, wearing the sky blue shirt and royal blue coloured shorts of the correctional centre.

As at now, it is not yet clear what would happen to the remaining 145 suspects who were arraigned in two other magistrate courts presided by Magistrate (Mrs) Y.O. Aje-Afunwa and Mrs. A.O. Layinka by the Police March 8 on same issue before the matter was taken over by Lagos State government.

When the matter came up yesterday before Chief Magistrate Osunsanya, a state counsel, Ms Tutu Oshinusi informed the court that the DPP advice was ready.

She said the DPP advice against continuation of trial of the suspects.

Police prosecutor, Inspector Simeon did not raise any objection to the advice which said no prima facie case could be established against the defendants.

Chief magistrate Osunsanmi, ruling on the matter, struck out the two count charge preferred againt the suspects.

“You are hereby discharged of the two count charge brought against you. The charges are hereby struck out “based on the advice of the DPP”, she said.