Drinker stabs barman for looking at him, girlfriend

A barman, who works in a hotel located on Obokun Avenue, in the Ojodu area of Lagos, is battling with wounds he sustained during an ‘unprovoked’ attack by a customer.

PUNCH Metro learnt that the alleged attacker, Kelvin Friday, a resident of Ojodu-Abiodun, Ogun State, allegedly stabbed the barman, who he accused of staring at him and his girlfriend.

It was gathered that Friday and his girlfriend, whose name had yet to be ascertained, had gone to drink in the hotel around 6pm on October 21, when the incident happened.

The victim, Simeon Tenebe, claimed he was brooding on an issue he had discussed with his sister earlier in the day when the 25-year-old man confronted him. He added that Friday interpreted his stare for rebuke and challenged him to a scuffle.

Friday reportedly smashed the bottle of beer he was drinking on the barman, inflicting injuries on his face and head. His girlfriend, it was learnt, fled the scene when Tenebe started bleeding.

Prior to the incident, it was said that Friday had accused the barman of being unpleasant while attending to him and his girlfriend.

Our correspondent also gathered that Tenebe reported the incident to the police, who arrested the suspect and charged him to an Ikeja Magistrate’s Court for assault.

The prosecutor, Inspector Chinalu Uwadione, brought him before the Magistrate, Mrs. O.A. Akinde, on one count of assault to which he pleaded not guilty.

The charge reads, “That you, Kelvin Friday, 25, on October 21, 2014 at about 6pm at Obokun Avenue, Ojodu in the Ikeja Magisterial District unlawfully used a bottle on the head and face of one Simeon Tenebe and inflicted injuries, to wit grievous harm and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 243 (1) Vol. 44, No. 2 Law of Lagos State, 2011.”

Akinde admitted the defendant to bail in the sum of N100, 000 with two sureties in like sum.

“The sureties must present evidence of tax payment, means of livelihood and deposit N20, 000 to the account of the chief registrar. Their addresses must also be verified by the prosecutor,” she added.