Professor remanded in Kirikiri Prison for alleged possession of weapons, acidic substances

An Apapa Magistrate’s Court, Lagos on Wednesday remanded a 59-year-old professor, Maurice Fangnon, in Kirikiri prison shortly after his arraignment for alleged unlawful assembly and possession of offensive weapons, which caused fear in his neighbourhood.

Before his arraignment and subsequent remand in custody by Magistrate Olunfunke Oshin, until the fulfillment of his bail conditions, the court had on June 20 issued a bench warrant against the defendant alongside a former President-General of Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN), Comrade Uzoije Ukaumunna and Ganiyu Ola for their failure to appear before the court after they were served with summons.

In the order marked as Charge No. A/41/2016 and dated June 20, 2016, the magistrate ordered the Commissioner of Police to bring the defendants before the court on the next adjourned date to give explanation to the complaint by one Lee Asagba.

However, Fangnon, who was in hiding, was later apprehended by the police on Tuesday and was charged before the court on a four-count charge, bordering on conspiracy, unlawful assembly, and possession of offensive weapons and breach of peace.

Police prosecutor, A. S. Adebesin, had informed the court that the defendant and others at large committed the alleged offences on May 31, 2016, around 10:30p.m. at No. 119, Osho Drive, Olodi Apapa area of the state.

Adebesin alleged that the defendant with intent to commit misdemeanor, assembled in an unlawful manner that caused fear on residents of the neighbourhood, adding that weapons were found with the defendant and he could not give satisfactory reasons why they were in his possession.

The weapons are 16 brand new cutlasses, two plastic jar containing a liquid substance suspected to be acid and displayed same in such a manner as to cause terror in his neighbourhood.

The prosecutor further stated that Fangnon, on the same date, time and place, conducted himself in a manner likely to cause breach of peace by displaying cutlasses and substances, suspected to be acid, in the public in an attempt to attack members of the Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria.

According to him, the offences committed are punishable under Sections 410, 44, 51 and 166 (d) of the criminal law of Lagos State, 2011. But the defendant pleaded not guilty to the charge and Magistrate Oshin granted him bail in the sum of N300,000, with two responsible sureties in like sum.

The case has been adjourned to August 28 for mention.