Shamsideen Adebimpe, a 67-year-old man, who allegedly threatened to burn the palace of a Lagos chief, was on Wednesday arraigned before an Igbosere Magistrates’ Court in Lagos.
NAN reports that the accused is standing trial on a six-count of conspiracy, false publication, breach of peace and threat to commit arson.
The prosecutor, Insp. Steven Molo, told the court that the accused committed the offences between June, 2012 and September, 2017, at Isheri Olofin Kingdom in Alimosho area of Lagos.
Molo said that the accused conducted himself in a manner likely to cause breach of peace and mobilised some hoodlums to sing inciting songs against Oba Wahab Balogun, the Onisheri of Isheri Kingdom.
“The accused mobilised hoodlums, who came around the palace of the Oba of Isheri, singing inciting and abusive songs against the Oba.
“Adebimpe also made some false publications in the newspapers and leaflets against the Oba which are likely to cause breach of peace among the indigenes of Isheri.
“In other to intimidate the oba and his family, the accused also threatened to burn the palace of the oba,’’ Molo said.
The prosecutor said that Adebimpe also disobeyed a judgment of a High Court delivered by Justice L.B. Lawal-Akapo, in suit no. ID/488/80, in the case of Oba Wahab Ayinde Balogun vs. Ishua Olorunfunmi, delivered on May 15, 2012.
He said that the accused trespassed and illegally sold Isheri lands against the judgment of the court.
Molo added that the offences contravened Sections 39 (1), 56 (1), 104 (1), 412 and 168 (1) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.
The accused, however, denied all the charges when read to him in the dock.
Counsel for the accused, Mrs N.G. Lawani, urged the court to grant bail to the accused on liberal terms.
The prosecutor opposed the granting of bail on liberal terms, urging the court to put stringent bail conditions to enable the accused to attend court proceedings.
“It took the police time to apprehend the accused; he has been in hiding and constituted nuisance from his hideout.
“The police had to use telephone tracking devices to track him down,’’ Molo told the court.
The Magistrate, Mrs O. O. Oshin, granted the accused bail of N500, 000 with two sureties in like sum.
Oshin said that one of the sureties must be a civil servant on Grade level 15 and the other must be a self-employed person.
She ordered that the sureties must present their bank statements of not less than six months and their addresses to the court for verification.
Oshin adjourned the case until March 12 for trial.