By BARTHOLOMEW MADUKWE
LAGOS—A 26-year-old man, Azeez Eruobodo, who allegedly murdered one Ashimiyu Olalekan following a scuffle over a girl, Bunmi Oyelade, was, yesterday, brought before a Lagos State High Court sitting at Igbosere.

Eruobodo was said to have on August 9, 2008, at Osborne Phase II Ikoyi, in the Lagos Judicial Division, murderedOlalekan by stabbing him with a table knife, an offence contrary to Section 316 of the Criminal Code Law Cap C17, Volume 2 Laws of Lagos State, 2003.

It was gathered that Olalekan was Bunmi’s former lover, and both of them had had misunderstanding in the past.

While Eruobodo was with Bunmi, who was busy preparing meal for him, Olalekan was said to have showed up in the house.

After exchanging words, Olalekan was said to have started beating Bunmi, an action which led to the accused person’s intervention.

Thereafter, Olalekan and Eruobodo started fighting, using offensive weapons.

The accused, a primary two school dropout from Christ Church School, Epe, Lagos, was unable to provide a lawyer to stand for him, which debarred his arraignment and trial, yesterday, while the state counsel, Mr. A. O. Fatok, was present in court.

However, trial judge in the case, Justice E. A. Adebajo, told the accused that the court will help him secure the service of a lawyer by writing to the Office of Public Defender, OPD, Mrs Matoki, in request for a lawyer to appear for the accused (Eruobodo) in the next adjourned date.

Justice Adebajo adjourned the case to February 14 and 15, 2012 for arraignment and trial.

Meanwhile, in another development, two soldiers from Ojo Cantonment and two civilians have been brought before an Ebute-Metta Magistrate’s Court, sitting at Oyingbo, Lagos, over a four-count charge of felony to wit armed robbery, robbery, conspiracy and kidnap.

Sgt. Ahmed Kasali (30), Cpl. Dantata Gambo (32), Bello Ojoh (34) and Okechukwu Uba (26) were accused to have robbed an Iveco truck with registration number Lagos XV 580 KSF, conveying 33,000 litres of kerosene, while armed with dangerous weapons at Berger Cement Bridge, along the Oshodi-Apapa Expressway, Lagos.

The charge reads: “Ahmed Kasali, 30, a Sergeant; Corporal Dantata Gambo, 32; Okechukwu Uba, 26 and Bello Ojoh, 34, on 23 September, 2011, at about 12.30a.m. at Berger Cement Bridge, along the Oshodi-Apapa Expressway, Lagos, while armed with dangerous weapons, robbed an Iveco truck with registration number Lagos XV 580 KSF, conveying 33,000 litres of kerosene, property of Twinscrown Oil and Gas Company.”

Sgt. Kasali and his cohort were said to have unlawfully abducted the driver of the Iveco truck, Afolabi Adebola (31) and his assistant, Jubril Rafiu Oluwagbenga (36), and took them to an unknown place without their consent, in a Volkswagen kombi bus (danfo) marked Lagos GN 71 LND.

Prosecuting officer, Inspector Sam Omoyeni, informed the court that the offences are contrary to Section 6(b) and punishable under Sections 1(2)(a)(b) of the Robbery and Firearms (Special Provisions), Act Cap. R11, Laws of Federation of Nigeria, 2004 and Sections 516 and 364 of the Criminal Code Cap. C17, Vol.II, Laws of Lagos State of Nigeria, 2003.

Vanguard gathered that policemen from Festac Police station, while on patrol, heard Adebola and Oluwagbenga (captives) cry for help. They were said to be locked up in a bus and during abduction grievous bodily harm were allegedly caused on the captives by their abductors.

The presiding magistrate, Mrs. Folashade Ogalla, issued an order that the accused be remanded in prison custody, while the case was adjourned till 23 December, 2011 for mention.