A
57-year-old man, Lawrence Isidor, has been remanded for two weeks after
he was alleged to have stolen a mosquito net belonging to one Mrs.
Gracious Odo, a resident on Marble Street, Happy Land Estate in the Ajah
area of Lagos State It was learnt that the defendant slapped the woman
when she accused him of stealing the net.The defendant was on August 11,
arraigned by the police before a Tinubu Magistrate’s Court , on two
counts of stealing and assault -─ to which he pleaded not guilty.
The
charges read, “That you, Lawrence Isido,r on August 10, 2014 at about
2pm on Marble Street, Happy Land Estate, Ajah, in the Lagos Magisterial
District, did steal one mosquito net value N800, property of Gracious
Odo and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 285 (5) of
the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.
“That you did
unlawfully assault her by slapping her face and thereby committed an
offence punishable under Section 170 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State,
2011.”
As of Wednesday when the matter was called for
hearing, It was gathered that no surety had shown up to perfect the
N5,000 bail condition levied by the magistrate, Mr. T.A. Owolabi.
The
prosecutor pleaded that the complainant was not in court due to ill
health ─ an excuse Owolabi frowned on, noting that the defendant was
being made to suffer.
When asked what he wanted the
court to do for him, the accused, who had no defence counsel, fell on
his knees and pleaded the magistrate to discard the case.
“My lord, please, I want the case to be struck out,” he pleaded.
Owolabi,
instructed the prosecutor to meet with the complainant before the next
adjournment date which was slated for Monday, September 1, 2014.
“I
reluctantly accede to the prosecutor’s plea that the complainant is
sick. The court shall not hesitate to take the necessary steps if the
prosecutor cannot produce the woman in court and establish the veracity
of her sickness by Monday,” he said.
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