The police in Lagos yesterday, arraigned five women suspected to be commercial sex workers and four men, accused of patronising them.
The defendants were charged with prostitution, unlawful gathering, breach of peace and loitering before an Ojokoro Magistrates’ Court.
They are: Emeka Chukwuma, 28; Paul Okon, 26; Fabian Sunday, 26; Shedrach John, 30 and Angel David, 27.
Others are: Destiny Moses, 30; Chinyere Mbadiwe, 27; Gift Okon, 29, and Edith David, 27.
All of the defendants, however, pleaded not guilty to the four-count charge.
Magistrate K.O. Ogundare granted each of them bail in the sum of N100, 000 and a surety each.
The prosecutor, Insp. Clara Olagbaiye, said that the defendants committed the offences on Nov. 4 at the Wisdon Bar Hotel, Ikotun/Igando Rd. at 8.30p.m.
“The nine of them gathered unlawfully and conducted themselves in a manner likely to cause breach of peace, “ she said.
She said that the women were loitering and soliciting for sex, while the men were some of their customers.
The court adjourned the case till Jan. 11.