For filming policemen on duty, a 41 -year-old man, Annibong Annankwu was on December 20, 2018, arraigned at an Ikeja Magistrates’ Court in Lagos charged with two counts of assault and breach of peace.
Police prosecutor, Kenrich Nomayo, alleged Annibong violated provisions of sections 168 and 174 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015. He said that Annibong conducted himself in a manner likely to cause a breach of peace by unlawfully videoing a Police officer, Eche Adeyi, and his team on November 28, 2018 at Ojota, a Lagos suburb.
Section 168 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015 says “A person who assault:
(a) strikes, touches, moves, or otherwise applies force of any kind to the person of another, either directly or indirectly, without his consent; or”
“(b) by any bodily act or gesture attempts or threatens to apply force of any kind to the person of another without his consent, in such circumstances that the person making the attempt or threat has actually or apparently present ability to effect his purpose is said to assault that other person.”
“(2) The term ‘applies force’ includes the case of applying heat, light, electrical force, gas, odour, or any other substance or thing whatsoever, if applied in such a degree as to cause injury or personal discomfort.”
Section 174 on the other hand says, “Any person who unlawfully assaults and uses actual violence on a Peace Officer or any other person while acting in the execution of his duty in or concerning the preservation of a vehicle, vessel in distress, or of any vehicle, vessel or goods wrecked, or stranded lying under water, is guilty of a felony, and is liable to imprisonment for three years.”
Magistrate Mrs. T.O Ojo admitted Annibong to bail in the sum of N50,000 with one surety in like sum and adjourned the matter to January 29, 2019 for mention.
