18th August, 2021
By Paul Iyoghojie
An Igbosere Magistrate’s Court 13 sitting at the Tinubu Magistrate’s Court, Lagos Island has sentenced a suspected professional Surety, Temitope Ojo, 48, to six month imprisonment over the escape of a suspect, Stephen John he stood as a surety for his release from the Zone 2 Command, Lagos for N1,000,000 bail bond.
The presiding Magistrate, Mrs S.A. Gbajumo Ayoku who sentenced the convict however, gave the convict an option to pay the N1,000,000 bail sum he sign with the Police to the government or serve the six months imprisonment.
The convict was charged before the Tinubu Magistrate’s on a one count of failing to produce the suspect he stood a surety for at the Zone 2 Police Command, Lagos.
Police Counsel, Jimoh Joseph had informed the Court that the journey to jail started for the convict on 6 October, 2020 when he appeared before the Police at the Zone 2 Command, Lagos to stand as a surety for one Stephen John now on the run who was being investigated for conduct likely to cause breach of peace with a promise to produce the suspect on 13 October, 2020 or any other time he is needed for further investigation until the case is disposed off.
Joseph told the Court that the convict failed to produce the suspect to the Police and instead connived with the suspect to obstruct, pervert and defeat the cause of justice and allowed him to jump bail.
He said the offence, the convict committed was punishable under section 97(1) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2025.
Magistrate Ayoku sentenced the convict to six months of imprisonment with an option of the N1,000,000 bail bond payment to the government.