Four dismissed police operatives who were attached to the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) of the Lagos State Police Command were yesterday arraigned at the Lagos State High Court, Ikeja.
The dismissed officers are Sgt. Adeoye Adekunle, Sgt. Adeniran Adebowale, Sgt. Agbi Lucky and Sgt. Odighe Hehosa.
They were arraigned on a three-count charge bordering on alleged conspiracy, corruption and abuse of office.
They pleaded not guilty to the charges.
The former SARS operatives who were said to have been dismissed following a petition written against them by one Mr. Chukwudi Godwin Odionye, popularly called ‘Bishop’ were arraigned before a magistrates’ court on charges bordering on armed robbery, kidnapping, unlawful detention, intimidation as well as threatening violence.
In the petition dated May 2, 2918, Odionye alleged that sometime June 4, 2017, he was in his house in Alagbado area of the state when four armed men stormed his house to effect his arrest on the allegation of performing fake’ miracles.
He stated that after his arrest, he was taken to one hotel in Agege, where he was detained and threatened with death if he failed to cooperate, adding that on June 5, 2017, he was taken to the bank, where he was made to transfer N7m to the account of one of the operatives.
At Tuesday’s proceedings, the counsel for the ex-officers, A. O. Aguegebobo, informed the court of a bail application he had filed on behalf of his clients.
He added that the defendants had been in prison custody since July 18, 2018.
The prosecution counsel, Adeola Odumabo, did not oppose the bail application.
Ruling on the application, the presiding judge, Justice Hakeem Oshodi, admitted the defendants to bail in the sum N500, 000 each with two sureties in like sum.
He added that one of the sureties must be a blood relation of each of the suspects, while the other must be a police officer not less than an Inspector.
Oshodi ordered that the defendants should be remanded in prison custody pending the perfection of their bail conditions.
The matter was adjourned till October 15, 2019 for commencement of trial.
