37-year-old spare parts dealer arraigned for assaulting housewife

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On Wednesday, Lagos-based spare parts dealer, Ebube Eddy, aka Bebex, was arraigned before a Lagos Magistrates’ Court sitting in Ogba, for allegedly assaulting a housewife, Omolara James.

37-year-old Eddy was arraigned on three counts before the Magistrate, Mrs O. A. Odubayo, alongside 27-year-old Ali Musa.

The police prosecutor, C. Olagbayi, told the court that the defendants committed the offence on April 20, 2023, at Mercedes Benz Line, Ladipo Market, Mushin, Lagos.

The charge read: “That you, Ebube Eddy and Ali Musa, on April 20 around 8 pm at Mercedes Benz Line, Ladipo Market, Mushin Lagos, in the Lagos Magisterial District, did conspire among yourselves to commit felony wit: conduct likely to cause a breach of peace and assault and thereby committing an offence punishable under Section 411 of the criminal law of Lagos State, 2015.

“That you, Ebube Eddy, on the same day, time and place at the aforesaid magisterial district did conduct yourself in a manner to cause a breach of peace by making moves to indecently assault one Omolara James, 26, by wanting to touch her breast and thereby committing an offence punishable under Section 168(d) of the Lagos Criminal Law, 2015.

“That you, Ali Musa, on the same day, time and place at the aforesaid magisterial district did assault one Omolara James by slapping her on her face thereby committing an offence contrary to Section 170 and punishable under Section 172 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.”

The magistrate, however, granted them bail in the sum of N100,000 with two sureties.

She however ordered that they be remanded in a correctional centre pending when they will meet their bail conditions.

On Wednesday, the state Commissioner of Police, Idowu Owohunwa, ordered that Eddy be charged in court immediately for allegedly assaulting James.

Owohunwa further removed the Mushin Divisional Police Officer for the shoddy manner in which his men handled the case when it was first reported at the station.

James had in a SEE that went viral on social media at the weekend, accused Eddy of alleged harassment and assault.

She alleged that when she did not yield to his sexual demand, he allegedly ordered his boys to slap her.

She, however, later released another SEE in which she recanted her earlier allegation. There were insinuations that she was pressured to recant, hence, the decision of the CP to reopen and take over the case.

The state Police Public Relations Officer, Ben Hundeyin, had disclosed that based on the need to ensure justice, Owohunwa personally interviewed all parties in the case, including James, Eddy, their lawyers, the landlord association and community members among others.

At the end of the engagement, he said the CP was convinced that Eddy had a case to answer and ordered his prosecution.

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