Three lawyers arraigned for ‘assaulting’ EFCC detective

Three lawyers who allegedly assaulted an Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) detective were arraigned at an Ikeja magistrates’ court on Monday.

The lawyers, Lateef Abdulsalam, 55, Evans Okwuede, 45 and a female, Abiodun Kolawole, 48, are accused of assaulting Patience Kalu, a detective of the EFCC.

Raji Akeem, the prosecutor, told the court that Kalu was assaulted by the defendants while trying to effect the arrest of Yinka Farounbi, former chairman of the Ikeja branch of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) over allegations of financial misappropriation.

They were charged with three counts of conspiracy, resisting a public officer and assault.

Akeem said the defendants committed the offence at 11am on March 4, during the monthly meeting of the Ikeja branch of the NBA.

He alleged that the defendants assaulted Kalu and inflicted injuries on her hand and neck.

The offence, he said, contravened the provisions of sections 117, 174 and 411 of the criminal law of Lagos state 2015. They, however, pleaded not guilty.

O. A Layinka, the chief magistrate, admitted the defendants to bail in the sum of N100,000 each with one surety in like sum each.

Layinka ordered that the sureties who must be lawyers, must provide their NBA seal as proof. She adjourned the case till May 15 for mention.