The Ebute Meta Magistrate Court was yesterday thrown into confusion as a prison warder shot and killed a man who was fleeing the court premises after his case was adjourned till 2018.
The 24-year-old decease identified as Chizoba Okoye an eye witness account disclosed was first arraigned before the Chief Magistrate Oluwayemisi Adelaja on August 3 2017 on one count of false representation and demanding ransom.
The prosecuting police officer Chinalu Uwadione told the court that Okoye, while presenting himself to be one of the kidnappers of the six pupils, demanded N2m ransom from their parents on June 11, around 8pm, an offence punishable under Section 6 (iii) of the Lagos State Anti-Kidnapping Law, 2017.
Uwadione while addressing the court said “Okoye was not involved in the actual kidnapping. He had heard about it like every other person and he decided to call the parents of the boys to demand N2m for their release. That was how he was arrested. This is the third time that he would be brought to court. The magistrate had adjourned his case till January 15, 2018. In fact, he was going to be freed on that day based on certain reasons. But he fled the court and the warder chased him to the police barracks beside the court. The man asked him to stop, but he refused and continued running. That was how he was shot dead.”
The spokesperson for the Lagos State Command of the prisons service, DSP Rotimi Oladokun while confirming the incident said the suspect was shot by men of the Armed Squad Unit.
Oladokun in his words said “It happened after the case was adjourned and the escort team was leading him to the holding cell on the court premises. Thinking he could escape the watchful eyes of the armed guards, Okoye suddenly took to his heels, defying verbal warnings and warning shots from the armed men. As he continued in his attempt to scale the fence for freedom, he was immobilized by shots from the armed personnel and subsequently arrested. Unfortunately, he lost his life on the way to the hospital for medical attention.”
