A 38-year- old unemployed man, Hussein Mohammed, defecated in the dock at an Ikeja Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday while standing trial for alleged theft of a motor cycle valued at N65,000.
The accused was arraigned before Magistrate G. O. Anifowose on a charge of stealing.
The accused was panting in the dock and when his plea was to be taken, he defecated and urinated uncontrollably right in the courtroom amid tears.
The drama forced the court to adjourn briefly, while the accused was immediately taken to the toilet to clean up.
Barely 20 minutes after, the court relocated to another room where his plea was finally taken.
The accused, who said he resides under the bridge at Iyana-Ipaja, a suburb of Lagos, summoned courage and entered a ‘not guilty’ plea.
The magistrate granted the accused a bail of N60,000 with two sureties in like sum.
Earlier, the prosecutor, Insp. Racheal Williams told the court that the offence was committed on Jan. 13 at Aina George Junction, Ilupeju, Lagos.
Williams said the accused stopped the complainant, Mr. Abdullahi Hassan, at the junction and asked him to give him a ride to the market area, claiming he is also a motorcyclist.
She said, “The accused told the complainant that his motor cycle was faulty and he was going to buy the part.’’
She said on their way, the accused offered to ride the motorcycle while the complainant took the passenger’s seat.
She said, “It was from their conversation that the accused got to know that the complainant just came to Lagos and that they are from the same state.
“When they were about getting to a police check point, the accused told the complainant that the police will arrest him for carrying a passenger and asked him come down.
“The accused told the complainant to meet him after the checkpoint.
“Shortly after passing the checkpoint, the accused sped off.”
Williams said the accused was apprehended with the help of the police.
The offence violated Section 285 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.
The case has been adjourned to Feb. 8 for mention.
PUNCH
