By Emmanuel Akorede
A Lagos High Court has granted a local chief, Rilwan Oluwalambe, bail in the sum of N2 million for allegedly damaging a property under construction in a land-ownership tussle.
Oluwalambe and a woman Ajoke Olaleye, are standing trial before the court sitting at Tafawa Balewa Square for allegedly destroying the building at Ijaye Ojokoro in Lagos State belonging to one Mr Collins Akeredolu.
The court granted Ajoke bail also in the sum of N2 million.
Prosecution counsel, Mr Williams Tijani accused the duo of destroying the three-bedroom structure valued at N6 million and also of theft of building materials valued at N10 million from the site.
He submitted that the defendants committed the offences on Nov. 14, 2020 and they contravened the Criminal Law of Lagos State (2015).
Oluwalambe and Ajoke were first arraigned on May 2 when they pleaded not guilty to the three-count charge preferred against them and applied for bail.
Oluwalambe’s counsel, Mr Sampson Ogunkanmi, pleaded with the court to grant his client bail in the most liberal terms and assured that he would not jump bail if granted.
Mr Michael Akinwole, counsel to Ajoke also urged the court to grant her bail in liberal terms.
In a counter-submission, prosecution counsel, Mr Tijani told the court that he had filed counter-affidavits and written addresses to the bail applications of the two defendants.
Presiding Justice Yetunde Adesanya, however, granted the bail applications and ruled that each of the accused must produce two sureties in the sum of N2 million.
Each of the two sureties must be a relative of each of the defendants; must be Lagos resident and must produce evidence of two years tax payments to Lagos State Government.
Justice Adesanya adjourned the case till Oct. 30 for trial.