A 38-year-old cleric, Abdusalam Murital, who allegedly attempted to set his landlord’s house on fire, on Wednesday appeared in a Yaba Magistrates’ court in Lagos.
The police charged Murital, who resides in Makoko area of Yaba with attempted arson.
Police Prosecutor, Sergeant Godwin Oriabure said the defendant committed the offence at 4 p.m. on March 27, at No. 18, Igbegandu str., Makoko area of Yaba, Lagos.
He alleged that the defendant who has had altercations with the landlord, Mr Samuel Ojuri, over his house rent, threatened to destroy the property.
Oriabure further told the court that the defendant put a pot of food on his burner and went out.
He said that the next door neighbour, who smelt the burning pot, broke into the defendant’s room to put out the fire.
The offence, he said, contravened the provisions of Section 342 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015. (Revised)
Section 342 prescribes a 14-year jail term for the offence of attempted arson, upon conviction.
Chief Magistrate Mrs Oluwatoyin Ojuromi, admitted the defendant to bail in the sum of N200,000 with two sureties in like sum.
She ordered that one of the sureties must be a blood relation who must be gainfully employed with their addresses verified by the court.
Ojuromi also ordered that the sureties must reside within the court’s jurisdiction and should show evidence of three years tax payment to the Lagos State Government.
The case was adjourned until April 30, for mention.