By Paul Iyoghojie
Operatives of the Zone 2 Command, Onikan, Lagos have arrested a 40 years suspected property speculator, Babatunde Danmegoro and charged him before a Lagos Magistrate’s Court for allegedly unlawfully forcefully entering into a piece of land belonging to Mrs Edith Ajibola and Mrs Kalu Maryanne to damage their perimeter fenced wall valued at N170m.
Police alleged that the defendant also threatened the life of the complainant, Mrs Kalu Maryanne with some armed soldiers attached to OPS MESA and assaulted her by smashing her phone and falling her to the ground.
Police further said that following the development, the complainants petitioned the Assistant Inspector General of Police, AIG in charge of Zone 2 Command, Lagos, AIG Durosimi Olatoye who swiftly gave a marching order to his crack team to fish out the defendant.
The police team tracked and arrested him in Lagos.
After an investigation by ASP Taiwo Sunday and team, the defendant was charged before the Igbosere Magistrate’s Court sitting at the Tinubu Magistrate’s Court, Lagos Island, Lagos on a six-count charge bordering on malicious damage and assault.
Police prosecuting Counsel, ASP Francis Igbinosa informed the Court in the charge Marked B/27/2024 that the defendant committed the offence on 13 and 16 July 2024 at Cavera 65, Fstac Town, Lagos.
Igbinosa told the Court that the defendant took the law into his hands, unlawfully and forcefully entered into the property belonging to the complainants to damage the perimeter fence wall valued at N170m without authority.
He said the offences, the defendant committed were punishable under sections 411, 52, 172, 339, 56 and 168(d) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.
The defendant, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges and Magistrate B. A Sonuga granted him N1m bail with two sureties like sum.
Sonuga adjourned the case till 4 September 2024 for mention and ordered that the defendant be detained at the Ikoyi correctional facility till he perfected the bail conditions.
