A Magistrates’ Court in Eti-Osa, Lagos, has acquitted a 33-year-old woman, Olufumilayo Erioluwa, who was remanded at the Kirikiri Correctional Centre for allegedly assaulting a police officer.
The Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, Benjamin Hundeyin, had disclosed in a Twitter post on Tuesday, May 16, that Erioluwa was remanded in Kirikiri prison for allegedly assaulting a police officer in the Ogombo area of Ajah, Lagos State.
Sharing a picture of the woman grabbing a police officer by the uniform, Hundeyin wrote:
“Somewhere in Ogombo yesterday, she assaulted a police officer. She was arraigned today and has been remanded in the Kirikiri correctional facility until June 6 when the case comes up again in court.”
He also alleged that she was arraigned before Magistrate M. O. Alao on two counts bordering on assault and resisting arrest at the Magistrate Court of Lagos, Eti-Osa.
The charge against her read:
“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 offense under Section 174 Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.
“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 attached to the Ogombo Divisional Headquarters, in the course of executing his lawful and official duty, and thereby committed an offense punishable under Section 174 (b) (c) and (e) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State.”
Human 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. Additionally, the Kirikiri Correctional Center did not produce Eriolowa in court.
Effiong further revealed that they were working on perfecting her bail terms when the case was struck out.
“On June 6, when the case came up a second time, my team and I were able to secure bail for her. She was granted 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.” He said.
