Suspected Thief Ran Out Of Court Premises After Being Asked To Be Remanded In Prison Until Bail Conditions Are Met

Luck ran out for a suspected thief, Friday Onochie, who attempted to escape from custody yesterday.His escape was foiled by policemen, prison officials and passersby.It all happened around 2.30 pm at the Ikeja High Court premises – shortly after the suspect was arraigned before Magistrate Margret Dan-Oni on a one-count charge of stealing clothing materials valued at millions of naira.He was granted bail and the matter adjourned till September 29.
It was gathered that the magistrate ordered that the suspect be remanded in prison custody until he perfects his bail conditions.Eyewitnesses said as the police prosecutor was formalising the suspect’s transfer to prison officials at the transit cell, he ran out of the court premises.As he headed for Oba Akinjobi Way in GRA Ikeja, the police, prison officials and some passersby ran after him.A policeman attached to the cell was said to have fired a shot, which attracted policemen at the entrance of the Police College. They swiftly joined efforts to catch the suspect.On being caught and handcuffed, he was taken back to the transit cell, shouting: “I have not done anything. I am a cloth seller. I have not eaten for three days,”He was forced into a waiting Black Maria van marked PS 273A O/1 in which he was driven back into the transit cell.