A recent decision of the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) in Lagos state, Mrs Titilayo Shitta-Bey advising that the charge of armed robbery leveled against a property developer, Felix Ezeamama be dropped has sparked a controversy among stakeholders in the Lagos judiciary.
Ezeamama had been charged to court on allegations of armed robbery and attempted murder and the police had stated that it had overwhelming evidence which was presented to the Office of Directorate of Public Prosecution.
A Lagos Chief Magistrate’s Court sitting in Igbosere, had on Tuesday May 30, 2017 ordered the remand of Felix Ezeamama in prison over alleged armed robbery, attempted murder and unlawful damages.
Chief Magistrate Abimbola Komolafe (Mrs) gave the order following a remand application filed by the Officer in Charge of the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Departing (SCIID) Panti Lagos, CSP Effiong Asuquo.
But the DPP in her legal advice directed that Ezeamama be charged for illegal demolition of the property, assault and stealing contrary to the charge presented in court by the police based on investigations.
The DPP had based her advice on the fact that the complainant, a retired civil servant continued to reside inside a  Federal Government building four years after her retirement but the police had said that the complianant was lawfully allocated Flats A and B of ‘Block A bungalow’ at 41 Alfred Rewane Road and had been living there before and after her retirement from the Federal Civil Service as a principal accountant.
 The police had alleged before the court that the suspect with others now at large, while armed with dangerous weapons, such as guns, cutlasses and sledge hammers invaded a property located at 41 Alfred Rewane Road, Ikoyi, Lagos, and demolished it.
Police had also revealed that in the course of demolishing the said property, the suspect attempted to kill one Alhaja Halima Abubakar (Mrs), and her 91-year-old mother and also carted away £7000, $5000 and N5 million as well as some jewellery.
The complainant following the DPP advice is alleging that the change in charge is a miscarriage of justice as she could have lost my life and that of my 91 years old mother during the attack, adding that she and her mother had to undergo knee surgery following the injuries they sustained during the attack.
 “I am a retired civil servant and I retired as a principal accountant after 35 years of service. The property in dispute was allocated to me by the Federal Government. Problem started when I refused to sell my two flats a property developer, Felix Ezeamama.
“I have been living here for more than 40 years along with other retired civil servants. While others sold their houses to Ezeamama, I refused to sell mine but he insisted that he must buy them,” she alleged.
She has consequently written an official complaint to the Attorney-General of Lagos state through her counsel, urging him to take another look at the facts presented and ensure perpetrators of the heinous crime face the full wrath of the law.
The letter dated June 15 signed by Tomilola Taiwo, Â said “we strongly disagree with the charges brought against the suspect (Felix Ezeamama) as we believe there is enough evidence to warrant the addition of the charges of conspiracy and attempted murder”.
They further alleged that the suspect conspired with some armed thugs to break into Alhaja Halima Abubakar home and caused grievous bodily harm to the occupants including our client aged mother, adding that in the process of the attack both Halima Abubakar and her aged mother were manhandled, gashed with the weapons brought to carry out illegal demolition and have been placed in a life threatening situation.
“Our client and her household have been severely traumatized by the savage attack and fear for their lives and endangered property.”
The letter urged the Attorney-General, Lagos state to cause an urgent review into the attack and bring perpetrators of the heinous act to justice.
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