Six on trial for chopping off a man's three fingers

 Six persons -Semiu Noah, 22; Segun Fatoke, 19; Hammed Taiwo, 18; Adedayo Shittu, 20; Sodiq Gbadamosi,18; and Raphael Akinshika,18 –accused of chopping off a man’s three fingers were on Thursday arraigned in Lagos.

The accused, all residents of Ewutuntun in Mafoluku, Oshodi, Lagos, pleaded not guilty to the four charges of conspiracy, breach of peace, malicious damage and grievous harm.

An Ikeja Magistrates’ Court granted each accused person bail in the sum of N200,000 and asked to produce two sureties each as part of the bail conditions.

The sureties must be gainfully employed and should show evidence of two years tax payment to the Lagos State Government said Mrs. O.J. Awope, the magistrate.

According to the prosecutor, Insp Ezekiel Ayorinde, the accused committed the offenses on March 27 at Mafoluku, Lagos.

He said that the accused and others still at large, who were members of an unlawful cult, conspired to cause harm and damage to innocent residents.

“The accused, who are members of Eiye confraternity, unlawfully conducted and presided over a meeting of the unlawful association in a bush.

“They caused grievous harm to one Mr. Jamiu Saka by chopping off with a cutlass three right fingers.

“ The victim is presently in the intensive care unit of a teaching hospital.

“The accused also inflicted several cuts all over the body of another man, Mr. Lukmon Adedeji.

“They damaged the front and back windscreen of a Toyota Corolla saloon car, the property of Mr. Felix Onwuegbuchalam, and several other cars, parked on the road,” he said.

Ayorinde told the court that the accused publicly brandished different weapons such as cutlasses, sticks, iron rods, broken bottles, and other dangerous weapons.

“The accused used dangerous weapons to terrorize and harass innocent citizens of the area,” he said.

The offence, he said, contravened Sections 41, 169, 245, 339 and 411 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015 (Revised).

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that Section 245 prescribes seven-year jail term for grievous harm.

Awope adjourned the case till June 5 for a mention.