A Magistrate Court in Ebute Meta, Lagos today remanded Richard Nyong and Odofin Taiwo for their role in the Lekki Gardens building collapse in Lagos which killed at least thirty-five people.
Mr. Nyong is the Managing Director of Lekki Gardens and Mr. Odofin Taiwo is the contractor for the building. They both turned themselves into the authorities yesterday and are held at Panti Police Station in Yaba.
The duo were brought before a Magistrate, Mrs. Folashade Botoku, today to determine whether to remain in custody pending proper arraignment before a High Court.
Leading the argument for release of the defendants, Mr. Olabode Olanipekun, who is counsel to the second defendant, Mr. Odofin Taiwo, cited several sections of the constitution to request for bail. The first defendant, Managing Director and CEO of Lekki Gardens, Mr. Richard Nyong also aligned himself with the arguments of the second defendant, seeking also his own bail.
The defendant's counsel, Mr. Olanipekun requested the court to permit the defendants to always report themselves when needed. He referred to how the defendants had turned themselves in at the Panti police station without needing to be arrested by the police.
In her ruling however, the Magistrate ordered that both defendants be remanded at the State Criminal Investigation Department (CID), Panti Police Station, pending their arraignment for trial.
The prosecution had applied with a supporting 19 paragraph affidavit for remand of Mr. Nyong and Mr. Odofin Taiwo at the State CID.
"There is a probable cause for remand application to be granted in his case", the Magistrate declared as she ordered that both defendants be taken to Panti police station pending their proper arraignment before a high court.
The Magistrate thereafter adjourned until the 12th of April, by when the defendants' counsel said they would bring a formal application for bail.