Lawyer raises alarm over escape of suspect in police custody
A legal practitioner, Idahosa Emmanuel Esq., of Emmanuel Idahosa & Co, raised the alarm in a petition he wrote to the state Commissioner of Police, Phillip Ogbadu, asking him to investigate the disappearance of a suspect from the custody of Esigie Police Division in the state capital.
In the petition, the lawyer said the suspect was arrested by the vigilante at Agbor road axis of the state capital on September 3, 2021and handed him over to to the police for investigation.
He therefore, wondered why the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) and the Divisional Criminal Officer (DCO) of Esigie Police Station should release a suspect who was said to have burgled Complex No. 148, Ikpoba Slope, Benin City and catered away valuable items.
According to the petitioner, the suspect was taken to Oregbeni Police Station with the items robbed including the sum of N50,000.00 (Fifty Thousand Naira) which the suspect wanted to compromised the vigilante men which they refused.
“The suspect and the stolen items were later referred to Esigie Police Station for jurisdiction purpose”, the petitioner declared.
He said, “Some of the complainants and Barr. Idahosa were present when the matter was incidented at Esigie, the DPO, Esigie Police Station after interview did promised that he was going to referred the matter to the State CID for investigation, but were surprised that the DCO said he was going to investigate the matter by himself at Esigie.
“We were told yesterday, the 6th of September, 2021 that the suspect escaped from the custody of the police at Esigie.
“Information at our disposal is to the effect that the suspect gang came to buy their man out of the station.”
The actions of the Esigie DPO and DCO, the petitioner claimed have exposed the vigilante men, the complainants and other members of the society to danger.
The petitioner therefore call on the Edo State Commissioner of Police, to call on Esigie Divisional Police Officer (DPO) and Divisional Crime Officer (DCO), to order, to explain to the whole world their involvement/role they played in allowing the suspect to have escaped.
Meanwhile, it was gathered that both the policemen involved have been invited by the commissioner of police at the state police commander to explain their involvement in the allegations leveled against them.
