A 25-year-old suspect, Ayoko Oluwatobi, left onlookers shocked as he attempted to commit suicide at the Ikeja High Court on Tuesday.
Oluwatobi had barely left the courtroom where he was standing trial before Justice Hakeem Oshodi when he attempted to jump off the top floor of a two-storey building directly opposite the second gate of the court.
The defendant is facing a six-count charge including causing grievous bodily harm, damage to properties and belonging to an unlawful society.
Earlier in the day, the counsel to the defendant moved a bail application and prayed the court to admit Oluwatobi to bail on a liberal term.
The prosecutor told the court that the defendant posed a flight risk and was capable of interfering with the prosecution’s witnesses.
The judge, Oshodi, adjourned the matter until April 9
Upon the Judge’s adjournment and in what appeared to be a dissatisfying decision with the defendant, Oluwatobi began to tap on the prosecution witnesses at the back of the courtroom saying they were his friends and he should be released.
Following the development inside the courtroom, the defendant was led out but upon stepping out of the courtroom, he started headbutting the wall and yelled out saying, “I want to die, I can’t wait till April.”
Oluwatobi made for the window as he attempted to jump down from the two-storey building of the courthouse.
Immediately, the police officers attached to the court alongside the Correctional Facility officer present intervened and prevented the suspect from jumping.
An eyewitness to the incident, who did not want to be named, the officers saved the situation by holding on to one of the defendant’s legs and preventing him from taking the jump.
According to the eyewitness, the suspect was held off largely due to the handcuffs restraining him.
The defendant had committed the crime against one Obinna Nosike.
