Court frees man accused of robbing trader with toy gun

An Ikeja Special Offences Court on Tuesday discharged and acquitted a 26-year-old man, Rasheed Olanrewaju, accused of attempting to rob a market woman with a toy gun.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Justice Sherifat Solebo discharged and acquitted Olanrewaju of the attempted robbery charge filed against him by the state government.

Solebo held that it was evident that prosecution witness, (PW1), a Special Anti Robbery Squard (SARS) officer, said he saw the crowd beating the defendant.

“As a police officer, he collected the toy gun found on him and reported to the police station and it was registered as exhibit.

“The witness told the court that he could not lay hands on the exhibit due to the disbandment of SARS.

“The evidence of PW2 was amount to hearsay from the PW1. They were not at the crime scene, (the shop of the complainant). The toy gun was not tendered. Moreover, the evidence of PW1 is partially hearsay.

“The court is bound to resolve the issue in favour of defence where there is evidence of doubt.

“In view of the circumstances of doubt, the defendant is hereby discharged and acquitted,” Solebo said.

NAN reports that Olanrewaju was alleged to have sometime in January 2019 at Ipodo market in Lagos, attempted to rob a business woman with two plastic toy guns in her shop.

The defendant, a resident of Idimu in Lagos, was charged for alleged unlawful possession of toy guns and attempted robbery. (NAN)