18th August, 2010
A revenue collector with a local government council, Idowu Shodipo, on Tuesday, appeared before a Yaba Magistrate’s Court in Lagos charged with assaulting a naval officer.
The prosecutor, Sgt. Benson Emuerhi, told the court that the accused, a staff of Mushin Local Government Council assaulted W.O. Paul Mbonu at Idi-Oro Bus Stop, Mushin.
Emuerhi said that the offence was committed on Aug. 3 when the accused accosted the naval officer on his motorcycle and demanded money from him.
According to the prosecutor, an argument broke out when the naval officer refused to pay Shodipo the amount demanded as revenue.
He said that the failure to pay the money consequently led to the accused slapping the naval officer, who was mistaken for a commercial motorcycle operator, a.k.a. Okada rider.
The prosecutor said that the offence contravened Section 351 of the Criminal Code, Laws of Lagos State.
The accused, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge and Magistrate Salamah Matepo granted him bail in the sum of N50,000 with two sureties in like sum.
Matepo adjourned the case till Aug. 18 for further hearing.