lagos-trial
Mrs Titilayo Balogun at the court. (Photo: NAN/Punch)

A Lagos trader, Mrs Titilayo Balogun who attempted to jump into the Lagos Lagoon on March 24, has been arraigned before a Chief Magistrate’s Court at Ebute-Metta.

Her offence, according to the prosecutor, Sgt. Kehinde Omisakin is that she attempted to commit suicide contrary to the provision of Section 233 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State 2015.

The story of Titilayo, aged 51, as has been widely reported, is that she is a dealer in textiles at the popular Balogun Market on the Lagos Island. Sometime in 2015, she was defrauded of the sum of N18.7 million by a Bureau-de-Change operator.

Her attempts to recover her money reportedly failed even as she began to sink into debts to continue her business. Deeply frustrated by the dramatic turn in her financial fortunes, she decided to end it all. So, on March 24, at about 10:00 a.m., she attempted to jump into the deep waters of the Lagos Lagoon from the Third Mainland Bridge. She was however prevented by security officers.

Mrs Balogun, if convicted of the charge, may be given a life sentence. However, Chief Magistrate A.T. Elias on Monday granted her bail in the sum of N500,000 with two sureties in like sum. He also recommended her for psychiatric evaluation at a psychiatric hospital.

The magistrate adjourned the case to June 1. In the general opinion of Nigerians, this is one trial that is full of ironies.