The case involving human rights activists’ Comrade Hassan Taiwo alias Soweto and Comrade Dele Frank after their arrest outside the Lagos State House of Assembly on January 28, 2026 has been stalled again.
Recall that the two men were arrested in connection with an anti-demolition protest by residents of Makoko, Otumara, Owode-Onirin, and other waterfront communities who had converged to express their grievances over demolitions.
The police dispersed the protesters with tear gas and seized several items used during the demonstration.
Among the seized properties were a Dell laptop, loudspeakers, generators, a channel mixer, wired and wireless microphones, a stabilizer amp, a power amp, a table fan, an extension box, loudspeaker wires, and a laptop bag.
The laptop bag reportedly contained an ATM card, an external hard drive, cables, cords, Bluetooth ear pods, headphones, a wireless microphone, and a wallet containing at least N40,000.
Another wallet reportedly contained N23,000. Two first-aid bags and other items were also seized.
Following the arrests, the police filed a five-count charge bordering on conspiracy, conduct likely to cause breach of peace, threats, unlawful assembly, obstruction of traffic, and singing abusive songs against the police and the Lagos State Government against the defendants, leading to the ongoing case before a Chief Magistrate in Yaba.
Court hears of partial compliance
When the case was called on Monday, before the Chief Magistrate Mrs. I. O. Alaka, the defence counsel, O. C. Olagunju, informed the court that the police had released most of the seized property.
According to him, the police had shown “partial compliance with the court’s order but had failed to return the DJ’s laptop.”
Olagunju told the Chief Magistrate that the defence would need to apply for another date to properly address the issue of the outstanding laptop.
He also expressed concern over the absence of the prosecution counsel in court.
“The police have released most of the seized items. They have complied partially with the court’s order, but they are yet to release the DJ’s laptop,” he said.
The defence counsel further argued that the absence of the police suggested they were not interested in pursuing the matter.
He hinted that if the police failed to appear at the next hearing, the defence would ask the court to strike out the case.
Case adjourned to October 26
With the prosecution absent and the issue of the unreleased laptop unresolved, Magistrate I. O. Alaka adjourned the case until October 26, 2026, for hearing.
