A Chief Magistrate’s Court sitting in Ikeja has discharged and acquitted six men charged with breach of the public peace during the 2020 #Endsars protest.
The men who were set free on Thursday are Daniel Joyinbo, 31, Adigun Sodiq, 28, Kehinde Shola, 32, Salaudeen Kamilu, 29, Sodiq Usseni, 33 and Azeez Isiaka, 34.
According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), the defendants had in a plea bargain agreement, pleaded guilty to a count charge of breach of the public peace preferred against them by Lagos State Government.
The Magistrate, Bola Osunsanmi, after listening to the plea bargain, found the defendants guilty and convicted them of the offence.
She, however, cautioned and discharged them. She noted that they had spent almost four years in custody.
The Director for Public Prosecutions (DPP), Dr. Babajide Martins had earlier informed the court that he had an amended charge.
Dr. Martins disclosed that the defendants committed the offence on November 23, 2020, at noon, at Ebutte Metta, Lagos.
He said the defendants conducted themselves in a manner likely to cause a breach of the public peace.
The DPP said the offence committed by the defendants was in contravention of Section 168(d) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.
He, however, urged the court to sentence the defendants based on their plea.
In his plea, the legal representative of the defendants, T.D Ojeshino, begged the court to temper justice with mercy.
“My lord, I plead the court to tamper justice with mercy as the defendants are first-time offenders.
“Some are breadwinners of their families and still very young.
“They have been in custody since 2020 and have truly learnt their lessons,” he said.
