A middle-aged man, Abiodun Makinde, has been arrested and remanded in Kirikiri Maximum Prison for allegedly beating up Oluwaseun Onate, a staffer of the Ikeja Electricity Distribution Company (IKEDC).
Makinde, in a statement by IKEDC, was apprehended in hiding by the police and yesterday arraigned at the Ogba magistrate court, Lagos, on a two-count charge of assault and breach of the peace.
The police said Onate was assaulted at Aberuagba Street, Oshodi, Lagos, a month ago during a disconnection of debtor customers from electricity consumption.
The accused allegedly absconded thereafter, leading to an organized search for his arrest by the police.
Makinde, however, pleaded not guilty.
The magistrate, Mrs Dan Oni, granted him bail and ordered that he be remanded at the Kirikiri Maximum Prison until he meets his bail conditions.
The case was, thereafter, adjourned till March 14, 2019 for further hearing.
Two other persons, Rotimi Bamigbade and Kazeem Adeniyi Owoleye, have also been remanded in prison for similar offences.
Bamigbade and four others still at large were alleged to have on February 18, 2019, at Command, Ipaja, carried out a physical assault on an IKEDC linesman with bottles and sticks, and dispossessed him of his personal property. He was subsequently arraigned before Mrs. A.A. Adetunji, sitting at the magistrate court, Ogba, on five counts of conspiracy to commit felony, breach of peace, obstructing official duty, assault occasioning harm and stealing.
Bamigbade pleaded guilty to all the counts except stealing.
He has been remanded at the Ikoyi Prisons, while the case has been adjourned to March 18, 2019 for sentencing.
Efforts are underway to ensure that other suspects still at large are apprehended.
In the same vein, Owoleye was arraigned before Mrs. T. A. Azeez, sitting at the Ikorodu magistrate court 1, Ikorodu, on a two-count charge of alleged assault on an IKEDC staffer at Rilwan Lawal Street, Luwa Estate, Ikorodu.
The accused pleaded not guilty to the offences and was granted bail in the sum of N50,000, with two sureties.
He was, however, unable to perfect his bail conditions immediately and was, therefore, remanded at the Kirikiri Maximum Prison pending the perfection of the conditions.
