A 25-year-old man, Oluwatobi Ayoko, created a scene at the Lagos State High Court in Ikeja on Tuesday when he attempted to commit suicide.
Ayoko, who was arraigned before Justice Hakeem Oshodi, apparently was dissatisfied with the next adjournment of his case, which would keep him till April, so he attempted to commit suicide by trying to jump down from the top floor of the court building.
The defendant is facing six counts bordering on causing grievous bodily harm, damage to properties, and unlawful society, preferred against him by the state.
Trouble started 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, while replying to the defence counsel, drew 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 were his friends and that they should release him.
The defendant, upon stepping out of the courtroom, started head-butting the wall, shouting, “I want to die; I can’t wait till April.”
Ayoko, in a swift movement, climbed the window in an attempt to jump down from the top floor of the two-story building directly opposite the second gate of the court.
It was the timely intervention of the police officers attached to the court, coupled 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 Obinna Nosike.
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