There was pandemonium at the Lagos State High Court in Ikeja on Tuesday after one Oluwatobi Ayoko who’s standing trial attempted suicide.
The 25–year–old defendant was arraigned before Justice Hakeem Oshodi on six counts bordering on causing grievous bodily harm, damage to properties and unlawful society.
The charges were preferred against him by the state government.
Ayoko resorted to taking his own life over the adjournment of his case which would keep him in correctional facility till April.
The adjournment did not go down well with him hence attempted to commit suicide by trying to jump down from the top floor of the court building.
Matters came to head immediately after Ayoko’s lawyer moved his bail application urging the court to admit his client to bail on a liberal term.
But the prosecutor objected to the defence counsel drawing the attention of the court to the fact that the defendant is a flight risk who is capable of interfering with the prosecution’s witnesses.
After listening to the submissions of both counsels, Justice Oshodi adjourned the matter until April 9, 2024, which did not sit well with the defendant, who started tapping the prosecution witnesses at the back seat inside the court saying they are his friends that they should release him.
The defendant, upon stepping out of the courtroom, started hitting his head against the wall shouting: “I want to die, I can’t wait till April.”
Ayoko in a quick movement, climbed the window in an attempt to jump down from the top floor of the two-storey building directly opposite the second gate of the court.
It was the swift intervention of the police officers attached to the court and with the Correctional Facility officer, who was present, that rescued the situation.
An eyewitness who did not want his name mentioned said the officers were able to hold one of his legs before he could jump down.
The eyewitness said, “The suspect was restrained, mostly due to the handcuff.”
It was further gathered that the defendant committed the crime against one Obinna Nosike
