A car wash attendant, Michael Taiwo, has allegedly broken
the spinal cord of his friend, Akeem Amoo, after a scuffle between them.
PUNCH Metro learnt that 28-year-old Taiwo and Amoo were
boyhood friends in the Alagbado area of Lagos State before a disagreement over
age marred their relationship.
Our correspondent learnt that Amoo had been admitted to an
orthopaedic hospital in Lagos, while Taiwo was charged to court by the police
on Monday.
It was said the defendant, who claimed he was older, had
accused the victim of being disrespectful to him whenever there was a
discussion among their caucus in the community.
Our correspondent gathered that they kept each other at
arm’s length after several altercations on the issue.
On January 28, around 8pm, Amoo, a commercial motorcyclist
(popularly called okada rider), reportedly went to a car wash at Omisesan
Junction – where Taiwo works – to wash his motorcycle.
Taiwo was said to have challenged Amoo to a duel after
accusing the latter of grazing his leg with the tyre of his motorcycle.
In a show of strength, the suspect, it was learnt, lifted
Amoo up and smashed his back on the floor, leading to what was later described
by doctors as a spinal cord injury.
Taiwo was later arrested and arraigned before an Ikeja
Magistrate’s Court sitting in the Ijaiye-Ojokoro area of the state on one count
of assault.
The charge read, “That you, Michael Taiwo, on January 28,
2015, at about 7.40pm, at Omisesan Junction, Alagbado, in the Ikeja Magisterial
District, did cause a grievous harm on Akeem Amoo by hitting him on ground full
of stones which broke his backbone and left ankle and thereby committed an
offence contrary to and punishable under Section 243 of the Criminal Law of
Lagos State of Nigeria, 2011.”
The defendant, however, pleaded not guilty to the offence.
He was granted bail by the presiding magistrate, Mrs. T.
Akani, in the sum of N100,000 with a surety, who, according to her, must also
present evidence of tax payment and means of livelihood to the court for
verification.
The case was adjourned till March 23, 2015 for mention.
Source: PunchNg
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