The Ikeja Magistrates’ Court in Lagos State has remanded a 28-year-old man, Victor Okafor, facing trial over alleged armed robbery.

Mr Okafor, who was arraigned before Magistrate Lateef Owolabi, is facing a two-count charge of conspiracy and armed robbery.

The magistrate declined to take Mr Okafor’s plea on the ground that the court lacked jurisdiction to entertain capital offences.

“This court cannot try armed robbery cases. The defendant shall be remanded in lawful custody while the case file is forwarded to the Directorate of Public Prosecutions for advice,” Mr Owolabi ruled.

The court thereafter adjourned the matter to December 3 for mention.

Earlier, the police alleged that the defendant and others still at large committed the offence on June 18, at about 8:00 p.m. in the Ijanikin area of Lagos.

According to the charge sheet, Mr Okafor and his accomplices, while armed with a gun, robbed one Hassan Oseni of his Bajaj motorcycle with registration number LSR 77 KTU, valued at N750,000.

The prosecutor, Josephine Ikhayere, told the court that a preliminary investigation had been concluded by the investigating police officer, Faromoju Adeyemi of the Lagos Command Tactical Team, Ikeja.

“My Lord, the defendant and his accomplices violently dispossessed the complainant of his motorcycle.

“The offence is armed robbery, a capital offence under the law. We therefore seek that the defendant be remanded pending legal advice,” Ms Ikhayere submitted.

Under Section 296 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, robbery is defined as the unlawful taking of property through violence or threat of violence.

Section 297 prescribes life imprisonment for offenders who are armed, while Section 299 criminalises conspiracy to commit such felonies.

(NAN)