By Ayo Fadimu
The Lagos High Court presided over by Honourable Justice A. M Nicol Clay has discharged and acquitted two robbery suspects, Daniel Kuye and Ifeshola Adewunmi following a No Case Submission made on their behalf by the Lagos State Office of the Public Defender (OPD).
The defendants that had been in the Kirikiri Correctional Centre since early 2016, were arrested by the police following their alleged involvement in armed robbery incident at Akintan Street, Surulere, Lagos in December 2015.
They were subsequently arrainged on twenty eight count charges of conspiracy to commit robbery contrary to Section 299 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015 and the offence of Armed Robbery contrary to Section 297(2) (a)&(b) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.
The defendants pleaded not guilty to the charges and were remanded at the Correctional Centre.
At the commencement of trial, the Prosecution called a witness and in examination in – chief sought to tender the statements of defendants in evidence which was objected to by OPD based on the voluntariness of the statements.
Following OPD’S objection to the voluntariness of the statements, the court ordered a trial within trial after which the court admitted the suspects statements based on relevancy.
After the Prosecution had closed its case, the Office of the Public Defender after diligent and professional evaluation of the case and evidence before court opted for a No Case Submission.
Delivering judgement, Honourable Justice A. M Nicol Clay ruled in favour of the defendants, and consequently discharged and acquitted them accordingly.
Reacting to the judgement, the Director, Office of the Public Defender, Dr. Babajide Martins expressed satisfaction with the out come of the case. “According to him, numerous trainings and high professional ethics of the Office are positively impacting in the overall performance and number of cases being won by OPD on behalf of indigent residents of the state”
He therefore, enjoined members of the public to avail themselves of free legal services being rendered to the indigent and vulnerable residents of the state in line with the current administration THEME agenda, and security and governace for the good people of Lagos State.
