An Ikeja Magistrate’s Court on Friday remanded a 23-year-old ex-convict, Taiwo Sunmonu, four months after he was released from Kirikiri prison in Lagos.

The prosecution says the defendant was released from the Kirikiri prison in November 2020, after serving a five-year jail term in connection with an armed robbery incident.

The magistrate, O. A. Odubayo, ordered that the file should be sent to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) for advice.

The defendant would not take his plea pending advice from the DPP.

Odubayo ordered that the defendant be kept at Kirikiri Correctional Centre and adjourned the case until July 15 for DPP’s advice.

The defendant, whose address was not provided, is being tried for conspiracy and armed robbery, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports.

Earlier, the prosecutor, Adesunkanmi Adejumola, a sergeant, told the court that the defendant committed the offences along with some other persons still at large on March 12 at 11.00 p.m. at Ajayi Street, Ijanikin, Lagos State.

Mr Adejumola said the defendant, who was released from the Kirikiri prison in November 2020, served a five-year jail term in connection with an armed robbery incident.

He said,”the defendant again armed himself with dangerous weapons and robbed Mr Opeyemi Owolabi of his phone valued at N20,000 and N2,000 cash.”

“The defendant was arrested by police operatives attached to Ijanikin Division when they responded to a distress call, but his accomplices escaped.

“One locally-made pistol and live ammunition were recovered from him,” he said.

Mr Adejumola said the offences contravened Sections 297(1)(2)(a) and 411 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.

Section 297 stipulates 21 years’ imprisonment for armed robbery, while Section 411 prescribes two years for conspiracy.