An Ebute Meta Chief Magistrates’ Court in Lagos has granted N200, 000 bail to a 30-year-old man, Shola Adewunmi, who allegedly set ablaze a shanty house, killing a woman and her three children.
Ruling, Chief Magistrate O.O. Olatunji asked Adewunmi to provide two sureties as part of the bail condition.
He held that the evidence before the court did not link the accused to the crime.
“The remand application brought by the police showed no finger print evidence or forensic report showing that the accused committed the offence,” Olatunji said.
He adjourned the case till February 7 for mention.
The accused is facing a charge of murder, but his plea was not taken.
Prosecuting Sergeant Emah Jerry had alleged that the accused committed the offence around 5am on December 17, at 21, Anjorin Street, Powerline, Alagbado, Lagos.
He alleged that the accused set ablaze the house where Mrs. Gbenke Omonitan and her three children lived.
“The accused set the house ablaze after an altercation with the deceased,” the prosecutor said.
The offence contravenes Section 223 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.
Counsel to the accused, Mr. Spurgeon Ataene, had urged the court to grant his client bail, arguing that the evidence did not link the accused to the offence.