Connect with us

News

253 #EndSARS protesters released from custody in Lagos

Published

on

Not less than 253 #EndSARS protesters who were arrested in the wake of the protest that rocked the country a few weeks ago. have been released from custody by the Lagos State government.

The Lagos State Attorney-General and Commissioner of Justice, Moyosore Onigbanjo (SAN), advised the courts to immediately free the protesters held by the police in the state.

Onigbanjo said the state’s “Directorate of Public Prosecution (DPP) had assessed the temporary charges filed against them by the police and found no prima facie evidence that they committed any crime.”

A statement by the Director of Public Affairs in the Ministry of Justice, Kayode Oyekanmi, stated that the police had forwarded 40 case files on 361 persons arrested in connection with the #EndSARS protests to the DPP for Legal Advice between November 4 and 5, 2020.

Read also: #EndSARS protesters arraigned in court, denied bail

The statement reads:

“Legal advice has been issued in respect of all the 40 case files received, and as at November 6, 2020, the directorate has been able to dispatch legal advice in respect of 81 persons that are being charged to the various courts, while others will be dispatched to court on Monday, November 9, 2020.

“Of the 361 persons, the Director of Public Prosecutions shall be prosecuting 92 persons for different offences, ranging from arson, stealing, breaking into buildings, armed robbery and murder, while the office has advised that 253 persons be released forthwith for non-disclosure of a prima facie case.

“In the meantime, two case files in respect of 16 persons have been advised for further investigation by the police.”

Join the conversation

Opinions

Support Ripples Nigeria, hold up solutions journalism

Balanced, fearless journalism driven by data comes at huge financial costs.

As a media platform, we hold leadership accountable and will not trade the right to press freedom and free speech for a piece of cake.

If you like what we do, and are ready to uphold solutions journalism, kindly donate to the Ripples Nigeria cause.

Your support would help to ensure that citizens and institutions continue to have free access to credible and reliable information for societal development.

Donate Now