NURTW boss, Kokosaria, docked over attack on Nollywood actor
By Lukman Olabiyi
A chieftain of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), Ganiyu Ayinde Oyedepo (a.ka. Kokosaria), has been docked by the police before the Lagos State Magistrates’ Court, for allegedly assaulting a Nollywood star, Alhaji Ade Adele, popularly called Baba Lawori.
Kokosaria was docked yesterday before Chief Magistrate B. Sonuga on charge marked B/40/2024, and filed by Morufu Animashaun, a legal officer in the legal department of Force Criminal Investigation Department (FCID), Alagbon, Lagos.
Arraigning the defendant, Animashaun told the court that the defendant committed the offences in June 5, 2024, at Idimu area of the state, by conspiring with some of his ‘boys’ and allegedly assaulted Baba Lawori.
Animashaun further told the court that in the course of the assault, the said Kokosaria’s boys, broke Baba Lawori’s head with a bottle, which inflicted injury on him and caused him grievous harm.
The prosecutor told the court that the offences committed by the defendant, contravened Sections 411; 173 and 168 (l)(d) of the Criminal Law Ch. C17, Vol. 3, Laws of Lagos State. And punishable under section 168 (2) of the same laws.
The NURTW chieftain, denied the allegations and pleaded not guilty to the charges.
With the defendant’s not guilty plea, the prosecutor, Animashaun, urged the court to remand him in the custody of the Nigerian Correctional Services (NCoS), pending conclusion of the charges.
But his lawyers, S. Bello with S. O. Egunjobi, orally moved their client’s bail application, saying that he is a noble person and a member of the NURTW and that charge against their client was a bailable one, which the court could exercise its discretion judicially and judiciously.
They urged the court to grant him bail in the most liberal terms.
The prosecutor, however, while citing the plethoras of legal authorities, vehemently opposed the bail application on the ground that the defendant is a ‘flight risk’, and that being a member of NURTW does not qualified him to be a noble person.
Ruling on the bail application, Chief Magistrate Sonuga, after hearing counsel’s submissions, admitted the defendant to in the sum of N2 billion with two sureties in like sum.
The sureties, according to the Chief Magistrate, must be of unquestionable character, with evidence of means livelihood and who must be residing with the court’s jurisdiction.
The Chief Magistrate also ordered the sureties to present to court evidence of three years tax, and have their addresses verified.
Chief Magistrate Sonuga, while adjourning the matter to October 29, for mention, however, remanded the defendant in NCoS’s custody, pending the perfection of the bail terms.
Charges against the defendant reads: “That you Ganiyu Ayinde Oyedepo (M) on or about the 25th day June, 2024 at Idimu, Lagos, in the Lagos Magisterial District, conspired to commit felony wit: Assault Occasioning Harm and committed an Offence contrary to Section 411 of the Criminal Law Ch. C17, Vol. 3, Laws of Lagos State 2015.
“That you Ganiyu Ayinde Oyedepo (M) on or about the 25th day June, 2024 at Idimu, Lagos in the Lagos Magisterial District , Lagos unlawfully procured one of your boys (now at large) who unlawfully broke bottle and inflicted injuries on the head of one Alhaji Ade Adele and committed an Offence contrary to Section 173 of the Criminal Law Ch. C17, Vol. 3, Laws of Lagos State 2015.
“That you Ganiyu Ayinde Oyedepo (M) on or about the 25th day June, 2024 at Idimu,Lagos in the Lagos Magisterial District, conducted yourself in a manner likely to cause breach of peace when you threatened and procured one of your boys (now at large) to break bottle on the head of one Alhaji Ade Adele and committed an Offence contrary to Section 168 (l)(d) of the Criminal Law Ch. C17, Vol. 3, Laws of Lagos State 2015 and punishable under Section 168 (2) of thé same Criminal Law Ch. C17, Vol. 3, Laws of Lagos state 2015.”
