Man charged with chasing people with broken bottle

The gavel of justice

A 21-year-old man, Yusuf Adepoju, on Wednesday, was arraigned at an Ikeja Magistrate’s’ Court, Lagos, for allegedly chasing people with a broken bottle to stab them.

The accused was arraigned before Magistrate A.A Adesanya on a three-count charge of attempt to commit felony, assault and breach of peace.

Adepoju, of no fixed address, however, pleaded not guilty and was admitted to a bail of N50,000 with two sureties in the like sum.

According to the Prosecutor, Insp. George Nwosu, the accused committed the offences on Dec.11 at Oshodi, Lagos.

Nwosu said the accused behaved in a manner likely to cause breach of peace by breaking bottles and chasing people in order to stab them.

“The accused met a boy fetching water at a market tap, he threw the boy’s bucket away, when the boy protested, the accusing descended on him through beating.

“When the Iyaloja (market women leader) tried to stop him from beating the innocent boy, the accused held her shirt and in the process she lost her gold chain valued at N100,000.

“The accused went further to pick a bottle at a nearby shop, smashed it on the ground and was chasing the market leader with the broken bottle,” he said.

Nwosu said that when the market chairman was called upon as market people could not handle the situation, the accused also attempted to stab him.

“When the market chairman rushed to the scene, he tried to stop the accused from stabbing the market women leader; the accused transferred his aggression to him.

“He started chasing the chairman with the broken bottle until the police was called and he was arrested,” he said.

The prosecutor said that the accused threatened to set the market ablaze.

He said the offences contravened Sections 56 and 166 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.

The accused may be jailed for one year if found guilty according to the provisions of Section 56.

The case was adjourned till Jan. 25 for mention.