Court remands 3 men in prison custody for alleged armed robbery

AN Ikorodu Magistrates’ Court in Lagos, on Monday, ordered the remand of three armed robbery suspects in prison custody while awaiting legal advice from the state Directorate of Public Prosecution.

The defendants, Adebayo Aderele, 40, Aliu Hammed, 29, and Opeyemi Samson, 25, were being arraigned for alleged robbery with dangerous weapons.

The magistrate, Mr O.M Dawodu, who did not take the plea of the defendants, ordered the police to send the file to the office of the state Directorate of Public Prosecution (DPP) for legal advice.

Dawodu, however, adjourned the case till October 3.

Earlier, the prosecutor, Sgt. Mary Ajiteru had told the court that the three men were standing trial on a three-count charge of conspiracy, a felony to wit armed robbery.

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He added that the defendants, whose addresses were not provided, committed the offences on Aug 6 at Agbede area of Ikorodu.

Ajiteru said that the defendants, armed with dangerous weapons, robbed one Okwori Job, of a locally made single barrel gun, torchlight and mobile phone valued N6,000.

She said that the defendants had in their possession dangerous weapons and instruments with the intent to break in or enter a residence.

According to the prosecutor, the offences contravene Sections 299, 297(2)(b) and 312 (2)(a)of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State, 2015.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that section 297 provides for 21 years jail term for robbery while section 299 provides for 14 years in prison for conspiracy to wit commit robbery.