Four policemen docked for alleged manslaughter

Four policemen, Sergeant  Sunday Ogunyemi, Inspector Surulere Irede, Corporals Hezekiah Babatunde  and  Onifade Abimbola,  were on Thursday, re -arraigned before a Lagos State High Court, Ikeja over the alleged killing of one Olayode Ayoade.

The defendants who were re-arraigned before the Justice Sedote Ogunsanya by the state were charged on a count charge of manslaughter, an offence they were said to have committed on July 24, 2014 at about 12 :00hrs  at Elere Police Station, Agege,  Lagos.

According to the state prosecutor, it was alleged that one of the defendants, Onifade Abimbola, 38, is now at large while the other defendants pleaded not guilty to the amended charge.

Counsel to the 1st and 2nd defendants, B. T Akiredo, told the court that, his clients were first arraigned at Magistrate court 8 , Ebute – Meta on the 6th of November 2015.

Akiredo further told the court that they have since filed a bail application, dated 4th of May 2016.

“The suspects have been on bail and the charge is still in the Magistrate court. We have to inform the Magistrate that the matter have been properly filed before the High court  so as to strike out the charge and  we have served the prosecution an application to that effect”, he said.

In its response, the prosecution admitted being served and further notified the court that a response will be filed within the two weeks.

However, after listening to both counsels , Justice Ogunsanya adjourned the matter till November 16, 2016 for hearing of the bail application.