Lagos State Magistrates’ Court, Igbosere, has ordered for the remand of a pastor, Archbishop Samson Mustapha Benjamin, popularly known as Jehovah Sharp-Sharp, of Resurrection Praise Chapel in police custody.
The court ordered for the remand of Jehovah Sharp-Sharp alongside two others, Jerry Abel and Johnson Benjamin ,who were arraigned for violating the lockdown order of the government.
The trio would be in police custody pending perfection of the bail granted them by the court.
The court presided by Chief Magistrate O. O. Oshin (Mrs) slammed N 1 million bail sum on the pastor, while others got N500, 000 bail after they pleaded not guilty to the three counts charge made against him and two others, by the State’s Department of Public Prosecution (DPP).
The defendants were arrested by police on Tuesday, at the Chinese Embassy, where they had gone to protest alleged ill-treatment melted on Nigerians in China, despite the lockdown directive.
They were arraigned on charges bordering on violating the lockdown directive and conduct likely to cause breach of public peace.
The offences according to the prosecutor, Babajide Martins, are contrary to Sections 1(1)(2) of Covid-19 Regulations 2020 and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 5 Quarantine Act. Cap. Q2 Vol. 14, Law of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004, Section 168(1)(2) and offence punishable under Section 122 of Criminal Law Cap. C17, Vol 3, Laws of the Lagos State 2015.
And punishable under sections 112 and 168(2) of Criminal Law CAP C17 Vol. 3, Law of Lagos State, 2015
Following their not guilty plea, their lawyer, E.O. Ogbeche and two others counsel , pleaded with the court to admit bail to their clients in the most liberal terms, guaranteed the court of their presence till the matter is determined.
Ruling on the bail application, Chief Magistrate Oshin, granted the defendants bail in the amount mentioned with two sureties in like sum.
And that one of the sureties must be a Grade Level 14 officer in the appointment of Federal or Lagos State government, and that the other surety must be a cleric.
All the sureties must also produce evidence of three years tax payable to the state government, evidence of means of livelihood and the must be residents of the State.
The matter has been adjourned till May 20, for trial.
One of the charges against the defendants read:
“That you, Jerry Abel; Samson Mustapha Benjamin; Johnson Benjamin and others now at large, on April 21, 2020, at about 4.30 pm, at Chinese Embassy, 161A, Idejo Street, Victoria Island, Lagos, in the Lagos Magisterial District, did breach the cessation movement and stay at home order made by the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, contrary to Regulations 1(1)(2) of Covid-19 Regulations 2020 and thereby committed an offence punishable under section 122 of Criminal law Cap. C17, Vol 3, laws of the Lagos State 2015.
