The four policemen attached to the Iba police division who were dismissed by the Lagos State Police Command for allegedly killing two young men they arrested in August, have been released from the Ikoyi prison following advice by the Directorate of Public Prosecution (DPP).
The four policemen identified as Insp. Fabiyi Omomayara, Sgt. Olaniyi Solomon, Sgt. Solomon Sunday and Cpl. Aliyu Mukaila, made news after videos of them shooting to death two suspects they arrested went viral. Nigerians took to social media to call for the prosecution of the policemen whose faces were captured in the viral video. The Lagos state police command promptly investigated the matter and the men were arrested and summarily dismissed from service.
However new facts shows that the indicted police officers have been released from prison. Vanguard reports that the release of the indicted police officers followed an advice from the Directorate of Public Prosecution.
The DPP’s statement signed by Dr. Babajide Martins, says the officers have no case to answer as there is no sufficient facts to pursue a case of murder or involuntary manslaughter against the officers.
''After carefully considering the facts in the duplicate case file, this office is of the opinion that there are insufficient facts to establish a prima- facie case of murder or involuntary manslaughter contrary to sections 222 punishable under 223 or 224(b)and punishable under section 229 of the criminal law , Cap CI7, Vol.3 Laws of Lagos State, 2015 against Insp. Fabiyi Omomayowa, Sgt Olaniyi Solomon, Sgt Solomon Sunday and Cpl. Aliyu Mukaila. They, therefore, have no case to answer'' the statement from the DPP reads
Reacting to this development, family members of the victims say this is a ploy to sweep the case under the carpet.
Counsel to the families, Barrister Adesina Ogunlana, said the police officers are roaming about the street freely and boasting that they were untouchable.
“ The truly disturbing legal advice on issue like is, in our humble view, a complete disregard of the onerous responsibilities of the office of the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice under which the Directorate of Public Prosecutors operates, to see to due protection and promotion of the rights of all souls in the jurisdiction of Lagos State.
We ask the following questions: Can the office of the DPP claim ignorance of the filmic expose via the electronic coverage and broadcast of the daylight execution of the two victims by these police killers that was all over the social media in August and September 2019, as to arrive at its present exculpatory advice? In the said footage, the two victims were deliberately and clearly executed in cold blood after being apprehended safely by their police killers loudly declaiming that ‘we don’t waste time.’ This was followed by the point-blank shooting of their captured victims.”
The incident happened on August 19th this year at about 3.00pm, when Iba Police Station received a distress call from one Anugu Valentine that he was attacked by a group of armed men numbering about four on two motorcycles at Ipayi area, Iba and they dispossessed him of one iPhone max valued at #450: 000.
Acting on the information, the Divisional Police Officer Iba promptly deployed the Divisional Patrol team to the scene. Two of the armed robbers were arrested while two escaped. Two locally made pistols with six life cartridges and five expended cartridges were recovered. The gang is said to be notorious for series of robberies in Iba and environs. It was a well celebrated operation by the team as the suspects were gallantly arrested.
The police officers were however dismissed from service for going against the code of conduct of the profession by killing the suspects in coldblood.
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