Nigeria: A Lagos court finds a woman not guilty of assaulting police
By Ahmad Hadizat Omayoza, Mamos Nigeria
Olufumilayo Eriolowa, 33, has been cleared of all charges for allegedly assaulting Olufowobi Nureni, a police officer, in the Ogombo area of Lagos State. Eriolowa was remanded at the Kirikiri Correctional Centre.
Eriolowa, who had been remanded in care since May 17, 2023, was liberated by Officer M. O. Alao of the Justices’ Court in Eti-Osa, Lagos after the case was struck out.
The state Police Public Relations Officer, SP Benjamin Hundeyin, revealed in a Twitter post that she was remanded for allegedly assaulting a state policeman, as reported by The PUNCH.
The post read, “Some place in Ogombo yesterday, she attacked a cop. She was arraigned today and remanded to the Kirikiri correctional facility until June 6, when the case will be brought back before the court.
At the Magistrate Court of Lagos, Eti-Osa, the hair stylist was arraigned earlier on two charges bordering on assault and resisting arrest.
During the defendant’s arraignment, the police prosecutor, Jacob Samuel, pleaded with the court to remand the defendant in police custody.
Alao granted the request and directed Eriolowa to remain in police custody for 21 days until the police investigation was concluded.
The charges include the following: “That you, Olufumilayo Erioluwa, did commit a felony with a serious assault on one Olufowobi Nureni, an Inspector, on May 14, 2023, at Ajah, Eti-Osa, in the Lagos Magistrate District, and hereby commit an offence under Section 174 Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015”
“That you, Olufumilayo Erioluwa, on the same date, time, and place, in the aforementioned Magisterial District, assaulted, resisted, obstructed, and unlawfully prevented one Olufowobi Nureni, an Inspector attach to the Ogombo Divisional Headquarters, in the course of executing his lawful and official duty, and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 174(b)(c) and (e) of
However, Eriolowa pleaded not guilty to the charges, and the case was put off until June 6, 2023.
In the meantime, Eriolowa’s case was taken over by rights activist Inibehe Effiong and his team.
Effiong claims that the Kirikiri Correctional Center did not also produce Eriolowa in court, and that the police were unable to produce a witness or the complainant.
He said, “On June 6 when the case came up a subsequent time, my group and I had the option to get bail for her. She was confessed to bail in the amount of N100,000 with two guarantees in like aggregate.”
When the case was dismissed, Effiong explained, they were perfecting her bail terms.
“The complainant, Olufowobi Nureni, who claimed he was assaulted, did not show up in court for all of the times the case was in court,” he stated. The Kirikiri Restorative Center didn’t likewise create her in court, and the case was concluded a third time till June 27, 2023.
“However, prior to the charge being struck out, we had taken steps to perfect the bail. The police couldn’t give any proof, witness, or complainant in court thus we argued that the case be struck out and the Justice saw reason with us and made the best decision as per the law. On June 27, 2023, the charges against her were dropped, and she was granted release and discharge.
