Surety arraigned for failing to produce lover in court

A 23-year-old man, Onanuga Rasheed, who stood as surety for his girlfriend and failed to produce her in court, was on Wednesday hauled up before a Yaba Chief Magistrates’ Court in Lagos. The surety-turned accused, a resident of Igando area of Lagos, is facing a two-count charge of attempt to pervert the course of justice and disobedience to lawful order. Mr Rasheed had stood as surety for his girlfriend, Daniella Zipamoh, and promised to produce her any time she was needed by the police but failed to do so on three occasions. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Ms Zipamoh is facing a three-count charge bordering on breach of peace and internet fraud. “My Lord, I want the accused to show cause why the N150,000 bail bond he entered into as a surety should not be forfeited to the Lagos State Government,” the police prosecutor, Roman Unuigbe, told the court. According to him, the accused committed the offences on May 28 at Igando Police Station, Lagos. The offences of attempt to pervert the course of justice and disobedience to lawful order slammed on the boyfriend contravened Sections 97 (1) and 123 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015 (Revised). NAN reports that Section 97 provides seven years imprisonment, while Section 123 prescribes one year jail term or N50,000 fine on conviction. The lover, however, denied the charge and was granted bail in the sum of N150, 000 with two sureties in like sum. Chief Magistrate Phillip Ojo, who gave the ruling, said the sureties should show evidence of two years tax payment to the Lagos State Government as part of the bail condition granted him. The case was adjourned until July 18. (NAN)]]>