2nd July, 2022
By Paul Iyoghojie
Operatives of the Special Weapons and Tactical of the Nigeria Police, SWAT have arrested an 81-year-old landlord in Badore area of Ajah, Lagos, Noah Owolola and charged him before a Lagos Magistrate’s Court.
He was charged over alleged unlawful entry into a property belonging to the Complainant, Alhaji Opeyemi Abodirin to remove the roofing sheets of his building.
Police alleged that the defendant also maliciously demolished the complainant’s building and stole his properties valued at about N3,815,000
Police further alleged that following the development, the complainant petitioned the Deputy Commissioner of Police, DCP in Charge of Operations at SWAT, Lagos, DCP Stephen Ogedengbe who gave a marching order to the Commander in charge of operations at SWAT, Lagos, SP Ibrahim Yusuf to fish out the suspect and the Police traced the suspect and arrested him.
Owolola was charged before the Tinubu Magistrate’s Court, Lagos Island on a four-count charge bordering on unlawful entry into a property to remove building roofing sheets, malicious damage and stealing of properties valued at about N3,815,000.
Police Counsel, Abraham Fadipe told the court in the charge marked R/25/2022 that the defendant committed the offence between November and 31 December 2021 at Owolola compound, Badore, Ajah, Lagos.
Fadipe informed the court that the defendant unlawfully entered the property belonging to the complainant, Alhaji Opeyemi Abodirin to remove the roofing sheets of his building maliciously, demolished the building without authority and also stole properties valued at about N3,815,000.
He said the offences the defendant committed were punishable under sessions 411, 340, 56(1) and 287 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.
The defendant, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges and the Magistrate, Mrs K.K Awoyinka granted him N300,000 bail with two sureties in like sum.
Awoyinka directed that the sureties must show proof of three years of tax payment to the Lagos State Government and must deposit the sum of N500,000 in the court’s account.
Awoyinka adjourned the case till 8 July, 2022 for mention and ordered that the defendant be detained at the Ikoyi Correctional Facility till he perfected the bail conditions.