Man stabbed for using his phone while driving

A mechanic, Olajide Olaniran, has stabbed a 34-year-old man, Julius Joseph, for allegedly pinging on the road while driving in the Ijaiye area of Lagos State.

Reports say that Joseph was returning from a bank in the area to withdraw money when Olaniran, who was in a Toyota Corolla, blocked the road and accused him of pinging and driving.

It was, however, learnt that Joseph was checking an alert he received on his phone when the incident occured.

Joseph challenged the 42-year-old mechanic for driving against the traffic and both men alighted from their cars.

Following an altercation between the two, Olaniyan, who hails from Ibadan, Oyo State, allegedly used a bottle to stab Joseph after which he made off with his (Joseph’s) two phones and N5,000.

The victim reportedly slumped at the spot having lost much blood. He was said to have been rushed to the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, Ikeja, and was later referred to the National Orthopaedic Hospital, Igbobi for intensive care.

Olajide was arrested after the incident was reported at the Meiran Police Station.

A prosecutor, Lugard Ahonle, subsequently brought him before an Ikeja Magistrate’s Court sitting in Ijaiye on five counts bordering on assault and stealing.

The charges read in part, “That you, Olajide Olaniran, on October 8, 2014 at about 5pm at Jolaco Filling Station, Obadeyi, Ijaiye, Lagos State, in the Ikeja Magisterial District, did assault one Julius Joseph, by beating him up for challenging you while driving against the traffic with your Toyota Corolla saloon car.

“That you, on the same date, time and place, in the aforesaid magisterial district, did attempt to kill one Julius Joseph by stabbing him severally on his two hands over an argument between the two of you.

“That you did steal a Samsung phone valued at N60,000, Q10 BlackBerry valued at N98,000 and a sum of N5,000, property of one Julius Joseph.

The defendant pleaded not guilty to the offences, which the police said contravened sections 55, 170, 243, 285, 404, Vol. 44 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, Nigeria, 2011.

The presiding magistrate, Mrs. T. Akani, admitted him to bail in the sum of N100,000 with two sureties in like sum.

Akani adjourned the case till January 26, 2015 for mention.

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