19th February, 2022
By Paul Iyoghojie
Operative of the Special Weapons and Tactical Unit (SWAT) of the Nigeria Police Force, have arrested three suspected property grabbers operating at Lekki Penisula, Lekki, Lagos.
The suspects were charged before a Lagos Magistrate’s Court over alleged attempt to forcefully take over the estate belonging to Oyetubo Jokotade and Oyemade Royal Family.
The defendants, Johnson Adebayo Mathew, 40; Taiwo Tijani, 46 and Bolaji Makinde, 47, were charged before the Tinubu Magistrate’s Court, Lagos on a three-count bordering on malicious damage, contempt of count and conduct likely to cause beach of peace.
Police Counsel, Abraham Fadipe informed the Court in the charge marked S/10/2022 that the defendants committed the offence on 23 December, 2021 and 14 February, 2022 at Sangotedo, Lekki, Lagos.
Fadipe told the Court that the defendants disobeyed Court order and, invaded the estate belonging to Oyetubo Jokotade and Oyemade royal family in a bid to forcefully take over the estate with a fake Court writ before they were arrested.
Fadipe said the offences the defendants committed were punishable under section 411, 104 (b) and 52 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.
The defendants, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges and their Counsel, Anayo Agbo urged the Court to grant bail to the defendants in the most liberal teams, adding that the defendants did not know anything about the landed property the Police arrested them for.
Magistrate, K.K Awoyinka granted them N200, 000 bail each with one surety each in like sum.
Awoyika adjourned the case till 22 February, 2022 for mention and ordered that the defendants be kept at the Ikoyi Correctional Centre till they perfected the bail conditions.