by Rachel Ogbu

Two women in their twenties were arrested and charged before a Chief Magistrate’s Court in Ebute Meta on a three count of conspiracy, assault and grievous harm.

Temitope Abigeal, 26, and Temitope Remi, 28, who sing in the choir at a Cherubim and Seraphim church on Progressive Road, Ebute Meta, assaulted 18-year-old Hannah Okurabe on March 17 with blades just a few metres away from the church.

According to reports, the incident (at Abule Nla junction) that led to the assault was an earlier fight the ladies had over the church’s choirmaster, Joseph Unuigbe who is also a married dad. His wife, Folashade, goes to the same church in Lagos.

During proceedings, the charges were read:

“That you Temitope Abigeal and Temitope Remi at about 18.30 hours at Abule Nla junction, Apapa Road, Ebute Meta West, Lagos in the Lagos Magisterial District did conspire amongst yourselves to commit felony to with assault and thereby committed an offence punishable under section 409 of the criminal law of Lagos State of Nigeria 2011.”

“That you, Temitope Abigeal and Temitope Remi in the aforementioned magisterial district did unlawfully use a razor blade to cut one Okurabe Hannah on her cheek, eyelid, left ear and back of her neck which caused her grievous harm and thereby committed an offence punishable under section 243 of the criminal law of Lagos State of Nigeria 2011.”

The suspects pleaded not guilty to the charges.

The Punch reports:

Their counsel, identified simply as Mr. Chukwudi, made a bail application.

The prosecutor, Mr. Ishola Samuel, objected to the bail application, saying that the complainant was presently admitted to the Lagos Island General Hospital.

Samuel said, “If bail is granted, the defendants are likely to abscond from the court and that would prejudice the interest of justice. In view of this, I ask this honourable court to discountenance the bail application of the defence counsel.”

The Magistrate, Mrs. M. O. Tanimola, ruled that the charge was a bailable offence.

She said, “Bail is hereby granted the two defendants in the sum of N200,000 each in like sum. Defendants are to produce two responsible sureties who are gainfully employed and with evidence of tax payments to the state government in the last three years.

“The sureties must be relatives of the defendants and their addresses are to be verified. Case is adjourned to the April 17 2013 for mention.”

The suspects are said to be currently remanded at the Kirikiri Minimum Prison.