#EndSARS: Court discharges six protesters, after four years in detention

An Ikeja Chief Magistrate’s Court has acquitted and discharged six men who were accused of breaching public peace during the 2020 #EndSARS protest.

The defendants are: Daniel Joyinbo (31), Adigun Sodiq (28), Kehinde Shola (32), Salaudeen Kamilu (29), Sodiq Usseni (33), and Azeez Isiaka (34).

Persecondnews recalls that the 2020 #EndSARS protest shook Lagos and some parts of the country, culminating in the killing of some of the protesters by security agents at the Lekki Toll Plaza in Lagos on November 20, which the government denied.

The defendants, in a plea bargain agreement, pleaded guilty to the charge of breach of the public peace preferred against them by the Lagos State Government.

Following the plea bargain agreement, Magistrate Bola Osunsanmi convicted the defendants of the offence, but instead of imposing a sentence, she cautioned and discharged them, taking into account their nearly four years in detention.

Earlier, the Director for Public Prosecutions (DPP), Dr. Babajide Martins, told the court that he had an amended charge.

He said that the defendants committed the offence on Nov. 23, 2020, at 12:00 p.m. at Ebutte Metta, Lagos.

The defendants’ behaviour, according to him, posed a risk of disturbing public peace, violating Section 168(d) of the Lagos State Criminal Law, 2015.

Martins, however, urged the court to sentence the defendants based on their plea.

Their counsel, Mr. T.D. Ojeshino, pleaded with the court to tamper justice with mercy.

Ojeshino said: “My Lord, I plead with the court to tamper justice with mercy as the defendants are first-time offenders.

“Some are breadwinners in their families and still very young. They have been in custody since 2020 and have truly learnt their lessons.”