James Sowole in Akure
The Commissioner of Police for the Ondo State Command, Mr. Bolaji Salami, yesterday justified the parade of suspects before the media, saying it is meant to enlighten members of the public.
Salami stated this while answering questions, during the parade of 12 suspects arrested by the men of the command for various offences.
The commissioner said the suspects, were arrested for alleged robbery, burglary, vandalism of government properties and raping.
According to the commissioner, the suspects were being paraded to educate members of the public, who thought some things cannot happen. He said members of the public, will not know what happened, if the suspects were just arrested and charged to court and convicted.
Salami said:”For us all the suspects we paraded, had been investigated. They have confessed to committing the crime and many of them, were even caught in the act.
“ It is like the nollywood film, some people do not believe that such things can happen but when they watch the parade of some suspects caught in the act, they then believe that is can happen and they know how to be security conscious.”
Giving the breakdown of the arrested suspects, Salami said five persons, were arrested for alleged robbery, two for rape, four for shop breaking while one person, was arrested for stealing electric cable.
He explained that four of the five robbery suspects, specialised in robbing filling stations and Point Of Sale (POS) operators.
Salami said during one of the operations on January 26, 2021, a four-man gang comprising Deji Ajayi 22, Babajide Adewole’ 22, Dare Adeoye 24 and Banjo Adu’ 27, robbed a POS operator, Solomon Ehingbe, at Owe Akala area of Akure.
He said during the operation, the gang shot the POS shop owner, which later led to his death and went away with his money
Salami said it was this same young men that on 23rd of December, 2020, invaded
Ifeoma Restaurant located around NEPA area of Akure, fired gunshots into the air and robbed the director of the Restaurant, Chief Joseph Okeke of the sum of N1,200,000.00 cash, being proceeds from the sales of the day and also carted away handsets of customers who were at the scene.
The men, during interview confessed to the commission of the crimes.
The suspects that were paraded for alleged gang raping are Stephen John , Olanrewaju and Igbkele had been arrested while effort is ongoing to arrest the fleeing ones.
Salami gave the names of suspects arrested for allegedly breaking into shops as Isreal Ramnap 21, Partem Small 24 and Destiny Emmanuel, 25.
The commissioner said all the paraded suspects would be taken to court.
