“Man poured petrol on 2 policemen to set them ablaze” - Prosecutor

A 31-year-old driver, Tola Omoleke, has been charged with pouring fuel on two police officers to set them ablaze. Vanguard reports that the accused appeared before an Oshodi Magistrates’ Court, Lagos on Thursday.

A man carrying petrol to a protest scene

Omoleke is being tried for threat to life and assault, an offence the prosecutor, Cpl. Kehinde Olatunde, told the court the accused committed on October 3 at Dopemu, Lagos.

He gave the names of the assaulted officers as ASP James Agboru and Cpl. Ali Sakuru, who said were performing their lawful before the assault.

According to the newspaper report, Olatunde said: “The accused assaulted the officers by fighting and punching them. He also poured fuel on the policemen and threatened to set them ablaze.
“It was the quick intervention of people that averted the disaster,’’

Olatunde also said the accused drove his car without a driver’s licence and while trying to escape arrest, damaged a Toyota Sienna belonging to one Mr Sheu Yisa.

 “He refused to stop but unfortunately for him his truck broke down at Dopemu” the prosecutor added “The complainants tried to arrest him but he resisted; instead, he started assaulting them,’’

The accused pleaded not guilty and was granted bail in the sum of N50, 000 with two sureties in like sum.

The Magistrate, Mr Akeem Fashola, adjourned the case till October 31 for mention.