Court Arraign Landlords For Forcefully Evicting Tenants

An Ojo Magistrates’ Court in Lagos has arraigned two landlords, Abubakar Lawal, 40, Chuks Okoye, 62, on Monday for unlawfully evicting their tenants.

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

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

The police alleged that the two landlords resorted to self-help when trying to evict one of their tenants, Sunday Komolafe, who lives with his family in the said property.

Uche further 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 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 evidence of tax clearance to the court’s registrar as part of the bail conditions.

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