Baale Docked For Assault  

By Kazeem Ugbodaga

The Lagos State Government has arraigned in court a Baale in Alimosho area of Lagos, Southwest Nigeria for allegedly assaulting an official of the Land Use Charge, LUC.

The Baale, Chief Isiaka Banmeke, was arrested by officials of the taskforce at Shasha area of Alimosho after he was alleged to have attacked a government official, Adeola Olawunmi, who was distributing LUC bill to houses in the area.

Banmeke was slammed with a three-count charge at the Special Offences Court in Alausa, Ikeja where he was docked.

He was charged with unlawful assault on Olawunmi, an offence contrary and punishable under Section 170 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State, 2003.

Banmeke was also charged with unlawfully obstructing the official from carrying out his assignment, an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 27 of the Environmental Sanitation Law, 2003.

The last charge was that he held hostage the said government official, thus conducting himself in a manner likely to cause breach of public peace.

Banmeke pleaded guilty and was granted bail in the sum of N200,000 and two sureties who must not be a staff of the Lagos State Government. He was also asked to produce three years tax clearance certificate.

The case has been adjourned to 26 February, 2013.

Chairman of the taskforce, Bayo Sulaiman, said Banmeke was arraigned to deter others from attacking a government official on official duty.