Wednesday, July 1, 2015

Five to appear in court for killing DPO

The Oyo State Ministry of Justice has recommended that five of the 32 suspects arrested in the killing of Ike Nwogu should be tried by the police.

Nwogu was until his death the Divisional Police Officer in charge of the Agugu division in Ibadan.



The DPO, a Deputy Superintendent of Police, was killed on April 1,2015, at the Adekile area, near Orita Aperin in Ibadan during a youth unrest arising from an alleged discovery of a kidnappers’ den.

It was claimed that the discovery was made after youths invaded the house where the den, an underground chamber, was found.

They alleged that a boy, who had entered the house, had disappeared.

Nwogu, who mobilised his men to the scene, was injured and later shot dead at the scene.

Forty six suspects were later arrested in connection with the crime.

Thirty two of the suspects were initially arraigned at the Iyaganku Chief Magistrate’s Court, Ibadan. But the state Ministry of Justice issued a legal advice, signed by Senior State Counsel, Olatunde Mojoyinola, on behalf of the Director of Public Prosecutions, discharging 27 of them. The ministry in the legal advice, however, found five of the suspects culpable, having established a prima facie case against them.

The legal advice, addressed to the Commissioner of Police, and dated June 24, 2015, read in part, “Having carefully reviewed the duplicate case file, it is hereby advised that the following should be charged with the offences of conspiracy contrary to and punishable under Section 324, and murder, contrary to Section 316; and punishable under Section 319 of the Criminal Code, Cap 38, Vol. II, Law of Oyo State, 2000.”

They are Sakiru Rafiu (aka Lapanpa), Abdulahi Dabiri, Yemi Onifade (aka Olota), Ismail Alli (aka Etti), and Rilwan Muili (aka Soko).

However, Rilwan Okikiola and Jelili Rafiu, who were among those released, were asked to “be preserved, protected and prepared to be used as prosecution witnesses in the case.”

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