Teenager and Adult Charged with Armed Robbery in Lagos, Not Over Slippers

The Lagos State Ministry of Justice has confirmed that a teenager and an adult were charged with robbery, not for the theft of a pair of slippers as previously reported. The Attorney General, Mr. Lawal Pedro, provided this clarification through the Director of Public Prosecutions, Adebayo Haroun.

The charges stem from an incident where the duo allegedly conspired to rob a man of his phone and gold chain. Haroun explained that the case was filed on May 31, 2023, and initially assigned to a judge but was later transferred due to scheduling conflicts.

The defendants entered their pleas on October 13, 2025, and the trial was set to begin. The prosecution intended to call the robbery victim, Daniel Lucky Danjuma, and two police officers as witnesses. However, they struggled to reach Danjuma, as his phone was not working.

On December 10, 2025, the prosecution began its case with testimony from one of the police officers. The victim had reported being attacked by armed men while traveling on a bus in November 2022. He claimed that they robbed him of an iPhone and a gold chain.

After returning to the area the next day, Danjuma allegedly spotted one of the suspects wearing his slippers and reported the incident to the police. Despite the initial evidence, the prosecution struggled to present a strong case due to the victim’s absence in court.

Ultimately, the court ruled in favor of the defendants on September 29, 2026, citing the lack of testimony from the key witness. Haroun emphasized that the defendants were not held for merely wearing slippers but were accused of a serious crime involving weapons.

He highlighted the importance of witness participation in criminal cases and stated that the prosecution must rely on available evidence to seek justice.