The Lagos State Ministry of Justice has issued a clarification regarding a recent case involving a teenager and an adult charged with armed robbery. According to the Director of Public Prosecutions, Adebayo Haroun, the defendants were charged under Sections 299 and 297(2) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015, for alleged conspiracy to commit robbery and armed robbery. The case was initially assigned to Justice Adenike Coker of the Ikeja High Court in May 2023.
The defendants were accused of robbing a man, Daniel Lucky Danjuma, of his phone and gold chain. The case was later transferred to Justice Hakeem Oshodi in October 2025. The prosecution listed Danjuma and two police investigators as witnesses. However, repeated efforts to secure Danjuma's attendance in court were unsuccessful due to his unreachable telephone. As a result, the prosecution commenced its case with Inspector Omozuafo Martins, who testified about the complainant's arrest of the defendants.
According to Haroun, Danjuma stated in his police statement that he and a friend boarded a "one-chance" bus on November 27, 2022, and were attacked by men armed with a cutlass and a gun. The defendants allegedly used charm during the robbery. The next day, Danjuma identified one of the defendants as one of his attackers and took them to the police station. The prosecution closed its case after efforts to secure another witness failed.
The defendants, through their counsel, filed a no-case submission. On September 29, 2026, Justice Oshodi delivered judgment and upheld the no-case submission, discharging the defendants. Haroun attributed the outcome to Danjuma's failure to appear in court and testify against the defendants. The prosecution could not manufacture evidence where a key witness failed to appear in court.
Haroun rejected the portrayal of the case as one in which the defendants were detained simply because of a pair of slippers. He stated that the defendants were alleged to have robbed the nominal complainant with dangerous weapons. The DPP added that the prosecutorial authority of the Attorney-General would continue to be exercised in the interest of the general public, justice, and to prevent abuse.
The case highlights the importance of witnesses' cooperation in the prosecution of crimes. Haroun emphasized that the prosecution cannot manufacture evidence unless the general public performs its part by actively being interested in the outcome of criminal infractions reported at police stations. The failure of the complainant to attend court underscored this point.
The Lagos State Ministry of Justice's clarification aims to correct misinformation about the case. The ministry's statement ensures that the public is accurately informed about the charges and the outcome of the case. The DPP's office continues to exercise its prosecutorial authority in the interest of justice and the general public.
Key points
- The Lagos State Ministry of Justice has clarified that a teenager and an adult charged with armed robbery were not detained over a pair of slippers.
- The defendants were charged under Sections 299 and 297(2) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015, for alleged conspiracy to commit robbery and armed robbery.
- The case was discharged due to the failure of the nominal complainant to appear in court and testify against the defendants.
