2 men arraigned over alleged forceful eviction of tenants

For allegedly evicting their tenants forcefully, two landlords, Chuks Okoye, 62, and Abubakar Lawal, 40, on Monday appeared before an Ojo Magistrates’ Court in Lagos.

The defendants, whose house addresses were not provided, are standing trial on two count charges of conspiracy and forceful eviction.

The prosecutor, Asp Simeon Uche, told the court that the defendants committed the offences on Oct. 25, at No 5, Tedi st, in Ojo area of Lagos State.

He alleged that the defendants resorted to “self help”, tried to evict one of their tenants, Sunday Komolafe, who resides with his family in the service quarters in the said property.

Uche told the court that the defendants forcefully packed the personal belongings of the complainant and his family out of the property without their consent.

The prosecution said that the alleged offences contravened the provisions of Sections 340 and 412 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State, 2015.

The Magistrate, Mr Ademola Adesanya, granted the defendants bail in the sum of N250,000 each with two sureties each in like sum.

He ruled that the sureties must provide evidences of tax clearance to the court’s registrar as part of the bail conditions.

Adesanya adjourned the case until Jan. 10, 2022 for mention.