Tobias Sylvester
The Nigerian Police Special Fraud Unit (PSFU) has dragged popular singer, Iyanya, before Justice Mobolanle Okikiolu-Ighile of an Igbosere High Court, Lagos, over alleged car theft.
In the one-count charge marked LD/9024c/2019, filed against the singer on March 15, 2019, the police alleged that Iyanya “dishonestly converted to your own use or use of another person a black Toyota Landcruiser Prado Jeep with Chassis Number: JTEBX7FJ7EK165480, Engine Number: 2TRI385954 and Registration Number: MAVINIY, a property of The Temple Management Company Limited, represented by one Ayodeji Olomojobi, Esq.”
In the charge sheet signed by Mr. Chukwu Agwu, a Superintendent of Police (SP), alleged that Iyanya committed the offence “sometime in September 2018 in Lagos State.”
Agwu told the court that said vehicle belongs to ‘The Temple Management Company Ltd, represented by a lawyer, Ayodeji Olomojobi.
The offence, according to the police, was contrary to sections 278(1)(b), and 279(1)(2) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State 2011, and punishable under Section 285(10) of the same law.
At the time the charge was filed in 2019, the musician failed to appear in court.
His failure to appear before the court despite allegedly being served with the charge and hearing notice led to the case being adjourned six times.
Justice Okikiolu-Ighile, at the last adjournment, threatened to invoke the power of the court to ensure Iyanya’s attendance to take his plea and the award-winning singer finally appeared before the judge on February 4, 2020, following which the charge was read to him.
Iyanya pleaded not guilty and Agwu prayed the court to remand the defendant in the Nigerian Correctional Services (NCS) custody, pending the hearing and determination of his bail application.
However, Iyanya’s counsel, Mr Williams A., opposed him and prayed the court to release the entertainer to him and undertook to produce him in court on the next adjournment.
Iyanya was released to his counsel while Justice Mobolanle Okikiolu-Ighile adjourned the case till February 27 for ruling on Iyanya’s bail application and commencement of trial.
This is coming weeks after Lagos magistrate court dismissed a car theft charge filed against popular hip-hop artiste, Naira Marley, by Nigerian police.
