The Lagos State Police Command has verified that Nollywood actress Lizzy Anjorin-Lawal, who was charged with taking gold from the Oba Akintoye Market in the state’s Lagos Island region, has not been charged with theft.
SP Benjamin Hundeyin, the state police command spokesperson, told Punch that throughout the investigation, it was determined that the video depicting traders and others accusing Anjorin-Lawal of stealing was a factual error.
In his words;
“There was no case of stealing to start with. Our investigation revealed that the seller of the goods gave the wrong account number. Out of the 10 digits the person was to provide, one digit was given wrongly and our investigation revealed that Lizzy Anjorin-Lawal did the transfer to the wrong account number.
But when it turned out that it was a mistake of facts and that they called her a thief in error, Lizzy (Anjorin-Lawal) took the assault meted out against her up and after the suspects were arrested and the case had gone to court, for reasons best known to her, she said she was no longer interested in the case and the case was withdrawn.”
Hundeyin went on to say that those who accused Anjorin-Lawal of stealing acknowledged in their testimony at the police station that they were at fault because the seller had provided her with incorrect account information.
“Lizzy Anjorin-Lawal transferred what she was supposed to transfer, which was about N90,000, into the wrong account that she was given and there was a receipt; when it was becoming too hot, she again transferred money to the correct account number they gave her.
So, she did a double transfer just to avoid trouble, even though the mistake was not hers. So, I am confirming that the police investigation revealed that there was no stealing. Lizzy Anjorin-Lawal was not culpable of stealing as she did not engage in stealing according to our investigation” he said
In February of this year, the single mother went to the well-known market to buy a few things. She was charged with stealing while in the market, and a video of her being abused and tormented by some of the vendors went viral on social media. Following their arrest in connection with the assault, six traders were arraigned before the Lagos Island Local Government Chief Magistrate Court on charges of beating and blackmailing Anjorin-Lawal while she was at the market buying gold.
Two additional suspects were still at large, but the accused—Qudus Jokogbola, Suru Olawale, Edu Shakirat, Fausat Mohammed, Kafayat Ahmed, and Opere Simiat Morenike—were charged. They entered a not guilty plea to the crime during the trial. Each of them was given N200,000 bail by the court, along with one surety.
After fulfilling their bail requirements, they were freed from the Nigerian Correctional Services.
