AN Ikeja Special Offences Court on Tuesday, October 11, 2022, discharged and acquitted a 26-year-old resident of Idimu, in the Egbe-Idimu LCDA of Alimosho LGA, 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 Mr Olanrewaju of the attempted robbery charge filed against him by the state government.
Ms Solebo held that it was evident that the prosecution witness (PW1), a Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) officer, said he saw the crowd beating the defendant.
“As a police officer, he collected the toy gun found on him and reported it to the police station and it was registered as an 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 the defence where there is evidence of doubt. In view of the circumstances of doubt, the defendant is hereby discharged and acquitted,” Ms Solebo said.
NAN reports that Mr Olanrewaju was alleged to have, sometime in January 2019, at Ipodo market in Lagos, attempted to rob a businesswoman with two plastic toy guns in her shop.
The defendant was charged with alleged unlawful possession of toy guns and attempted robbery.
