Two men: Taiwo Agunbiade, 20, and Babalola Yusuf, 19, charged with attempted robbery were on Wednesday hauled up before an Ikeja Magistrates’ Court.
Agunbiade, a cobbler, and Yusuf, a welder, both residents of Amukoko area of Lagos State, were arraigned before Mrs S.K. Matepo on charges of conspiracy, demanding money with menace and attempted robbery.
The duo, however, denied committing the offences and were admitted to a bail of N100,000 each with two sureties each in like sum.
Matepo said that the sureties should be gainfully employed and show evidence of two years’ tax payment to the Lagos State Government (LASG).
The magistrate adjourned the case until March 1 for mention.
The prosecution counsel, ASP Clifford Ogu, told the court that the defendants and others still at large, committed the offences on Dec. 8, 2021 at Ketu, Lagos State.
He said that the defendants with the intent to rob one Mr Christian Njokwu of N180,000, unlawfully detained him.
“The defendants, who claimed to be military personnel, whisked the complainant away from his shop and detained him in another location.
“They demanded N180,000 from him and threatened to kill him if he refused to comply.
“The complainant raised alarm which made people to come to his rescue.
“The defendants were apprehended and handed over to the police,” the prosecutor said.
The prosecutor said that the alleged offences violated Sections 298, 301 and 411 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Section 301 stipulates three years’ imprisonment for demanding money with threat while Section 298 prescribes 14 years for attempted robbery. (NAN)
