Police arrest landlord for taking tenant names to shrine

The Lagos Police Command has dragged a landlord, Okechukwu Chukwunahi, before an Ojo Magistrate’s Court in the state, for taking his tenant names to the shrine.

The 44-year-old man, who’s facing two-count bothering on conspiracy and trial by ordeal was arraigned following a misunderstanding between him and his tenants in their residence.

The prosecution counsel, Dr. Simon Uche, told the court that the defendant committed the offence on Tuesday, February 21, 2023, at Ira Quatres, Ojo, Lagos.

According to Uche, following the misunderstanding, the defendant resorted to taking their names to the shrine of a deity known as ‘Arusi Okija’.

The prosecutor said the complainants, Onyeka Ibeabuchi and Chimezie Ezeuka, who were Chukwunahi’s tenants, received a call from the herbalist of the shrine, who invited them to appear in person before Monday, February 27, or risk death.

The prosecutor revealed that the defendant was dissatisfied, and resorted to illegal means of the trial at the shrine, after he had initially referred the matter for mediation and later to a court in Badagry.

He argued that the offence committed contravened the provisions of Sections 127 and 411 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.

However, after the defendant pleaded not guilty to the accusation, Magistrate L.J.K Layeni granted him bail in the sum of N300,000 with two sureties in like sum.

The magistrate, thereafter, adjourned the matter till Monday, March 20.

Meanwhile, a few days before this development, the Lagos Police Command warned dwellers against taking the pets in their houses to polling units on Saturday, March 11, 2023, for governorship elections.