Court remands another man for stabbing friend to death
Forty-eight hours after he was paraded by the Lagos State police command for allegedly killing his father and stabbing his mother into a state of unconsciousness, Babalola Rotimi Junior, 24, was remanded at the Ikoyi Prisons yesterday for both offences.
Magistrate Bola Folarin-Williams of an Ebute Meta Chief Magistrates’ Court gave the order when he appeared before her on a two-count charge of murder and attempted murder with knives. The magistrate said the accused should be remanded pending the receipt of legal advice from the Lagos State Director of Public Prosecutions (DPPs).
Rotimi’s plea on the first count of murder was, however, not taken as the court lacked the jurisdiction to try such matters. He, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge of attempted murder and was granted a bail of N500,000 with two responsible sureties, both of whom must be blood relations.
Earlier, the prosecutor, Cpl. Hafsat Ajibodu had told the court that the accused committed the offences on December 4 at about 11:30am., at No. 11, Ibitayo St., Magodo GRA, Phase 2 in Lagos State.
She alleged that the accused had stabbed his father, Babalola Rotimi, 59, to death with a kitchen knife.
The accused was also alleged to have stabbed his mother, Adijat Babalola, who is presently battling with her life in an undisclosed hospital with another knife.
“My father wanted to use charms to make me rich, I don’t know why he would want to do that to me despite being a practicing Muslim. My parents would lock me up and send thugs to beat me up, I stabbed them out of frustration and because he would not give me money for my upkeep. I went to Shoprite to purchase two knives to defend myself and to gain my freedom because I was always locked up in my room,” Rotimi said.
The prosecutor said that the offences contravened Sections 221 and 222 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011. Section 221 prescribes a death sentence for offenders. The accused, a deportee from Ireland, showed no sign of remorse and claimed his father deserved what he dished to him while in court.
The court, however, adjourned the case till January 23, 2017 pending the receipt of legal advice from the Lagos State Director of Public Prosecutions (DPPs).
In a related development, a 24-year-old man, Godwin Simon, was on Wednesday arraigned in an Ebute-Metta Chief Magistrates’ Court, Lagos, for allegedly stabbing one Bankole Olubode to death. The accused, who resides at No. 73, Olaro Road, Abule-Egba, is facing trial on a count charge of murder.
The plea of the accused, was, however, not taken.
The prosecutor, Cpl. Hafsat Ajibodu had told the court that the offence was committed on December 2 at about 9:30p.m., at No. 1, Sadiku St., Oke-Odo, Abule-Egba.
She alleged that the accused and the deceased had a misunderstanding, while Simon used a kitchen knife to stab the deceased in his neck. Ajibodu said that the offence contravened Section 221 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.
The Magistrate, Mrs. O.A. Salawu, ordered that the accused should be remanded at the Ikoyi Prisons, pending an advice from the state Director of Public Prosecutions. The case was also adjourned till January 23.
