Three persons, Bernard Obiegbulam, James Okpala, and Catherine Igbogbu, who allegedly assaulted two officials of the Ikeja Electricity Distribution Company (IKEDC) on Wednesday, appeared at an Ikeja Magistrates’ Court.
Obiegbulam, 34, Okpala, 34 and Igbogbu, 51, who all reside at Seburu Street in Alagbado area of Lagos, are facing a four-count charge of conspiracy, assault, breach of peace and malicious damage.
They, however, pleaded not guilty.
The prosecutor, ASP Benson Emuerhi, told the court that the defendants committed the offences on Dec. 9 by 12. 30 p.m. at their residence.
Emuerhi said that the trio conducted themselves in a manner likely to cause breach of the peace by fighting with the IKEDC officials.
Benson said that the defendants assaulted the complainants, Messrs Damilare Babalola and Alfred Nwonah, while they were performing their lawful duty.
“The defendants, assaulted the IKEDC officials and maliciously damaged their ladder valued at N120, 000,” the prosecutor said.
He said the offences contravened Sections 168, 173, 339 and 411 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015 (Revised).
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that section 173 prescribes three years imprisonment for assault while section 339 also stipulates three years jail term for malicious damage.
The magistrate, Mrs Olufunke Sule- Amzat, granted the defendants bail in the sum of N50, 000 with two sureties each in like sum.
Sule- Amzat said that the sureties should be gainfully employed with an evidence of two years tax payment to the Lagos State Government.
She adjourned the case until March 5 for mention.
