An Ikeja Magistrates’ Court in Lagos has ordered the remand of a 28-year-old man, Victor Okafor, over allegations of conspiracy and armed robbery.
Okafor, arraigned before Magistrate Lateef Owolabi, is facing a two-count charge. The magistrate declined to take his plea, citing lack of jurisdiction to hear capital offences.
“This court cannot try armed robbery cases. The defendant shall be remanded in lawful custody while the case file is forwarded to the Directorate of Public Prosecutions for advice,” Magistrate Owolabi ruled, before adjourning the case to December 3 for mention.
According to police records, Okafor and accomplices still at large allegedly committed the offence on June 18 at about 8:00 p.m. in the Ijanikin area of Lagos. Armed with a gun, the suspects reportedly robbed one Mr. Hassan Oseni of his Bajaj motorcycle, valued at N750,000.
Prosecutor SP Josephine Ikhayere informed the court that investigations had been concluded by Insp. Faromoju Adeyemi of the Lagos Command Tactical Team, Ikeja.
“My Lord, the defendant and his accomplices violently dispossessed the complainant of his motorcycle. Armed robbery is a capital offence under the law. We therefore seek that the defendant be remanded pending legal advice,” Ikhayere said.
Under Section 296 of the Lagos State Criminal Law, robbery is defined as the unlawful taking of property through violence or threat of violence. Section 297 prescribes life imprisonment for offenders who are armed, while Section 299 criminalises conspiracy to commit such felonies.