The defendants had in a plea bargain agreement, pleaded guilty to a count charge of breach of the public peace preferred against them by Lagos state government.

In a ruling on Thursday, Bola Osunsanmi, the presiding judge, found the six men guilty and convicted them of the offence.

However, the judge cautioned and discharged them, adding that they had spent almost four years in custody.

NAN reports that the six men are Daniel Joyinbo, 31, Adigun Sodiq, 28, Kehinde Shola,32, Salaudeen Kamilu, 29, Sodiq Usseni, 33 and Azeez Isiaka, 34.

Babajide Martins, the Lagos director of public prosecution (DPP), 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

Martins added that the defendants conducted themselves in a manner likely to cause breach of the public peace.

He said that the offence contravened Section 168(d) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.

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

However, T.D. Ojeshino, the legal representative to the defendants, pleaded with the court to tamper justice with mercy.

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

“Some are breadwinners of their families and still very young.

“They have been in custody since 2020 and have truly learnt their lessons,” he said.

The post Court discharges six #EndSars protesters after four years in detention first appeared on The Times of Abuja.

Earlier on Monday, a video showing a swam of excited protesters on an APC driving around went viral on social media.

Many social media users claimed that the vehicle was hijacked by the #EndBadGovernance protesters.

However, in a statement, Mansir Hassan, police spokesperson in Kaduna, said video in question depicts a situation where the driver of the APC was confronted by a large group of protesters.

Hassan said the driver made a ” professional and commendable decision to avoid the use of live ammunition” against the protesters.

“The Kaduna State Police Command wishes to address the recent video circulating on social media, alleging that an Armored Personnel Carrier (APC) was hijacked by protesters. The Command wish to debunk this rumor and provide the public with the correct details of the incident,” the statement reads.

“The video in question depicts a situation where the driver of the APC was confronted by a large group of protesters. In the face of escalating tension, the driver made a professional and commendable decision to avoid the use of live ammunition.

“Instead, he employed a tactical maneuver to safely escape the scene, ensuring the safety of both the protesters and the officers involved.

“It is important to stress that at no point was the APC hijacked by hoodlums. The vehicle and its personnel remained under the control of the Kaduna State Police Command throughout the incident.

“The Commissioner of Police CP AUDU ALI DABIGI psc, urges the good people of Kaduna to continue to abide by the law and maintain peace order.

“We appreciate the support and cooperation of the public in these challenging times and remain committed to ensuring the safety and security of all residents.”

The post Police: Protesters didn’t hijack armoured personnel carrier in Kaduna first appeared on The Times of Abuja.