A Magistrates’ Court in Eti-Osa, Lagos, has freed a 33-year-old woman, Olufumilayo Eriolowa, who was earlier accused of assaulting a police officer, Olufowobi Nureni, at the Ogombo area of the state.
NIGERIACRIME reported that Eriolowa was remanded at the Kirikiri Correctional Centre in May 17, 2023. However, Magistrate M. O. Alao struck out the case.
The news of her arrest and remand was made disclosed by the state Police Public Relations Officer, SP Benjamin Hundeyin, in a post on Twitter.
The post read, “Somewhere in Ogombo yesterday, she assaulted a police officer. She was arraigned today and has been remanded to the Kirikiri correctional facility till June 6 when the case comes up again in court.”
She was earlier brought before the magistrate court on two counts bordering on assault and resisting arrest.
The police prosecutor, Jacob Samuel, during her arraignment, prayed to the court to remand the defendant in police custody.
Granting the request, Alao ordered that Eriolowa be remanded for 21 days in police custody pending the completion of the police investigation.
The charges read in part, “That you, Olufumilayo Erioluwa, on May 14, 2023, around 9 pm, at Ajah, Eti-Osa, in the Lagos Magistrate District, did commit a felony with a serious assault on one Olufowobi Nureni, an Inspector and hereby commit an offence under Section 174 Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.
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“That you, Olufumilayo Erioluwa, on the same date, time and place, in the aforementioned Magisterial District, assaulted, resisted, obstructed and unlawfully prevented one Olufowobi Nureni, an Inspector attach to the Ogombo Divisional Headquarters, in the course of executing his lawful and official duty and thereby committed an offence punishable Under Section 174 (b) (c) and (e) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State.”
The defendant, when the charge was read to her, pleaded not guilty.
The magistrate adjourned the case till June 6, 2023.
Meanwhile, a rights activist, Inibehe Effiong, and his team took over Eriolowa’s case.
According to Effiong, the police could not produce a witness, and the complainant in court, adding that the Kirikiri Correctional Center did not also produce Eriolowa in court.
He said, “On June 6 when the case came up a second time, my team and I were able to secure bail for her. She was admitted to bail in the sum of N100,000 with two sureties in like sum.
“The complainant, Olufowobi Nureni, who claimed he was assaulted, did not show up in court for all the times the case was in court. The Kirikiri Correctional Centre did not also produce her in court, and the case was adjourned a third time till June 27, 2023.
“We had however taken steps to perfect the bail before the charge was struck out. The police could not provide any evidence, witness, or complainant in court and so we pleaded that the case be struck out and the Magistrate saw reason with us and did the right thing according to the law. She is freed and discharged and the charges against her have been struck out on June 27, 2023.”