A Chief Magistrate’s Court in Lagos has ordered the remand of a prominent leader in the National Union of Road Transport Workers, NURTW, Ganiyu Oyedepo, popularly known as Koko Zaria in prison.
Koko Zaria faces charges of assaulting veteran Yoruba actor, Lawori.
The charges have been classified as a danger to the thespian’s life.
Lawori had cried out for help on social media following the alleged attack by the Lagos State National Union of Road Transport Workers boss, Koko Zaria.
The actor made the call in a now-viral video on his Instagram page in July.
Narrating the ordeal, he said that the incident happened on Tuesday, June 25, 2024, at the 2024 Idimu Day event.
Reacting to the actor’s call, the Force Public Relations Officer, Olumuyiwa Adejobi on his official X, assured the general public that justice would be served.
Chief Magistrate B. Sonuga, on Thursday, August 5 2024, ordered the remand of Koko Zaria after he was arraigned on allegations of conspiracy, assault causing harm, and conduct likely to disturb public peace.
The prosecutor, Morufu Animashaun, a legal officer in the legal department of FCIID, Alagbon, in a charge marked B/40/2024, told the court that the defendant committed the offences on June 5, 2024, at Idimu, by conspiring with some of his ‘boys’ to assault Adele.
He said in the course of the assault, Oyedepo’s boys, injured Adele in the head with a bottle.
He told the court that the offences committed by the defendant, contravened sections 411; 173 and 168 (l)(d) of the Criminal Law Ch. C17, Vol. 3, Laws of Lagos State and punishable under section 168 (2) of the same laws.
The charges are “That you Ganiyu Oyedepo on or about the June 25, 2024 at Idimu, Lagos in the Lagos Magisterial District, Lagos conspired to commit Felony wit: Assault Occasioning Harm and committed an Offence contrary to Section 411 of the Criminal Law Ch. C17, Vol. 3, Laws of Lagos State
“That you Oyedepo on the said date unlawfully procured one of your boys (now at large) who unlawfully broke bottle and inflicted injuries on the head of one Alhaji Ade Adele and committed an Offence contrary to Section 173 of the Criminal Law Ch. C17, Vol. 3, Laws of Lagos State 2015.
Oyedepo denied the allegations and pleaded not guilty to the charges. His lawyers, S. Bello with S. O. Ajetomobi, moved for bail application, saying the charge against their client is a bailable one. They urged the court to grant him bail in the most liberal terms.
Chief Magistrate Sonuga after hearing counsels’ submissions granted Oyedepo bail in the sum of N2 million with two sureties in like sum. The sureties, according to the Chief Magistrate, must be of unquestionable character, with evidence of means of livelihood and must be residing within the court’s jurisdiction.
The Chief Magistrate also ordered the sureties to present to court evidence of three years tax, and have their addresses verified.
Chief Magistrate Sonuga, while adjourning the matter to October 29, for mention, however, remanded the defendant in the Nigerian Correctional Services (NCoS) custody, pending the perfection of the bail terms.
