Discharged men: Police clarifies prosecution was for theft, not #EndSARS protest

Discharged men: Police clarifies prosecution was for theft, not #EndSARS protest

Abdullateef Fowewe

The Lagos Police Command has clarified that six men discharged by a Lagos court were prosecuted for theft, not for participating in the #EndSARS protest.

The defendants, identified as Daniel Joyinbo, Adigun Sodiq, Kehinde Shola, Salaudeen Kamilu, Sodiq Usseni, and Azeez Isiaka, were set free by Magistrate Bolanle Osunsanmi on Thursday after pleading guilty to a single amended charge of conduct likely to cause a breach of peace.

According to the Director of Public Prosecutions, Dr Babajide Martins, the alleged offence took place on November 23, 2020, at around 12 pm in the Ebute Metta area of Lagos.

The defendants were cautioned and discharged after spending almost four years in custody.

The police clarification comes after some reports suggested the men were arrested for participating in the 2020 #EndSARS protests.

However, the Lagos police on its X (formally Twitter) confirmed that the prosecution was related to theft charges, not the demonstrations against police brutality, adding that despite being found guilty, the court exercised its discretion and granted them a pardon.

The clarification reads, “They were not arrested or prosecuted for protesting. They were prosecuted for breaking and stealing, which they committed under the guise of #endsars protests.

“Although they were convicted, the court, in its wisdom, granted them pardon.”