The six supporters of the African Action Congress, AAC, who were arrested and charged to court in a case between the six and the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Edgar Imohimi have been granted bail at a magistrate court in the Samuel Ilori Courthouse, Lagos.
The six in the widely publicized case were arrested by officers of the Area F Division Ikeja on Sunday Night for what the Police Public Relations Officer in the State, Chike Oti described in a press release on the incident as “tearing of posters of other political parties and replacing them with that of the African Action Congress “.
The arrest and charge to court which did not go down well with members of the party and some civil society organizations who described it as political witch hunt and the involvement of the police in partisan politics led to a peaceful protest outside the Area F Police division in Ikeja. The protest however took a different dimension when the police fired tear gas at the protesters injuring many including one Annabelle Oko-Oboh and arresting 10 others.
Meanwhile in court, six of the initially arrested defendants pleaded not guilty to the three count charge leveled against them by the commissioner of police which are “conspiracy to commit felony to with criminal damage to property, criminal damage to property of Jimi Agbaje by tearing up his campaign posters on Awolowo House Fence and breach of peace by tearing campaign posters of other political parties and replacing them with AAC presidential campaign posters”.
Taiwo Olawale of Falana and Falana Chambers who represented the accused told the court “the members of the AAC with Sowore as their presidential candidate’s only crime was pasting posters at night, my Lord, because the party is not a major party, the police are using the instrument of the state to harass them”.
Objecting, representative of the commissioner of police, Inspector D. Raphael told the magistrate that the suspects where indeed caught in a criminal act “which will be determined in trial”.
The Magistrate B. O. Osunsanmi in her response after hearing statements from both the prosecuting and defense counsels said “this court is not ready for any trial, this is a bailable offence. I hereby grant bail in the sum of fifty thousand Naira each with one responsible surety”.
Speaking after the court’s decision, defense counsel Taiwo Olawale said “the court in its wisdom has determined the offence that the police is alleging is a bailable offence and we will perfect their bail conditions. The ruling party is always in the habit of oppressing the opposition. They know the power and cadre of Mr. Sowore and what he can do and that is why the Federal Government is coming with all this.
The prosecuting counsel however declined to comment after the hearing. The commissioner of police could also not be reached for comments.
Reacting to the case, Presidential candidate of the African Action Congress, AAC, Omoyele Sowore called out the CP on his Facebook page saying “Lagos Commissioner of Police, Imohimi Edgar, hasn’t learnt from history. Police officers doing dirty jobs for parties in power will ultimately end in ignominy!”.
The case has been adjourned to the 4 of February 2018.
