File photo
Mr Ileojo Ogunte, a Lagos State prosecution witness, on Wednesday, narrated to a Lagos High Court sitting at Tafawa Balewa Square (TBS), annex of Igbosere, how he was robbed of condoms, perfumes and provisions, from his shop, Vanguard reports.
Ogunte who said he is a businessman and sells cosmetics, provisions, perfumes and condoms, stated that he was in his shop at Sangotedo in Ajah area of Lagos, in 2019, when he saw some people holding different weapons, heading towards his shop.
The witness who is the first prosecution witness, said he was in front of his shop, when he saw them and immediately went back to his shop, before the incident took place.
He said ” They were holding knives, cutlasses and axe, I saw some of them holding guns, they were about 20 when they came, they were in a group.”
The witness who was led in examination in chief, by the Lagos state prosecuting counsel, T. Olanrewaju- Daudu, told the court that initially he didn’t understand what was happening, then immediately, the defendants and others at large split themselves and he saw them packing condoms, perfumes, provisions and money.
He said that he was not the only one that was robbed on that day, as there were other shops that we’re also robbed.
Ogunte said ” The first defendant Lateef Sunday brought out cutlass and injured my head, it was a terrible experience. They injured some of my customers and the other shop owners, when they were going, they broke my show glass.”
” I was bleeding, and people were running helter skelter, the next day I made a report at Ayowe Police Station at Ajah and when they brought the defendants out, I said this is surprising that the police was able to arrest them,” Ogunte said.
During cross examination, by the defendants counsel, I. O. Bashua, he said that after he made the report at the police station, the investigating Police officer (IPO), told him and one Aboki, who was also robbed, to come to Igbosere Magistrates Court.
He said, ” While we were at Igbosere, the IPO went to make some photocopies and asked us to watch the defendants, in case any of them wants to escape, the defendants said they were going to come back, I was terrified.
” They packed all our phones, even my sales girl’s phone, where we were charging them, they took my money N35,000, I can’t remember the number of items that were stolen because there are a lot of shops there. It was a terrible experience”, the witness stated.
After the cross examination, the defendants lawyer Bashua, informed the court that he was withdrawing from the case, that he was no longer interested in representing the defendants.
He said ” I have read their statements and the experience I have had with the defendants threatening the witness, I don’t wish to represent them anymore”.
The prosecutor Olanrewaju- Daudu, also informed the court that there was a third party with the two defendants who saw the witness coming to court and the third party told the defendants that they know him, that they will deal with him.
However when Justice Modupe Nicol-Clay, asked the defendants if they threatened the witness, they both denied the allegation, saying that there was no third party with them and that they don’t know the witness.
The case was adjourned till August 8, 2021, for continuation of trial.
