The Lagos State Police Command says the six ENDSARS protesters released after four years in detention were convicted for stealing and not for protesting
The spokesman of the Command Benjamin Hundeyin said the clarification became necessary because of the erroneous impression being created
The statement ran contrary to the pronouncement of the court on the matter
His post
CLARIFICATION:
"They were not arrested or prosecuted for protesting. They were prosecuted for breaking and stealing, which they committed under the guise of #endsars protests.
Although they were convicted, the court, in its wisdom, granted them pardon."
An Ikeja chief magistrate’s court had on Thursday, August 22, discharged and acquitted six persons arrested 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.
The defendants had in a plea bargain agreement, pleaded guilty to a count charge of breach of the public peace preferred against them by the Lagos State Government.
After listening to the plea bargain agreement, the magistrate, Bola Osunsanmi, found the defendants guilty and convicted them of the offence.
She, however, cautioned and freed them, adding that they had spent almost four years in custody.