A
police corporal, Daramola Tosin, attached to the Ekiti Police Division in the
Ekiti Local Government Area of Kwara State, has been dismissed from the Force
for allegedly killing an inspector, Mr. Lateef Shuaib.
Tosin
allegedly shot Shuaib after secretly withdrawing up to N300,000 from Shuaib’s
bank account without his consent.
It was learnt that Shuaib
had entrusted Tosin with his Automated Teller Machine card when he fell ill.
The
suspect was said to have initially withdrawn money for the use of the father of
two.
However,
it was learnt that the suspect started taking money in bits from the account
for his own use until he withdrew up to N300,000.
Shuaib
was said to have chided him for the action.
The
inspector was reportedly defecating when Tosin shot him dead with an AK-47
rifle and buried him at the back of a police barracks.
The
victim’s sister, Sherifat Hammed, was said to have reported to the Osi Police
Station on May 10, 2016, that Shuaib had been missing since May 6.
Hammed
said she suspected Tosin because her elder brother informed her when he was
sick that he entrusted his UBA ATM card to the suspect to help him in
withdrawing money.
The
Kwara State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Sam Okaula, said when the matter was
brought to his attention he ensured that discreet investigation was conducted,
adding that the suspect was arrested.
According
to him, the corporal confessed to the crime and was dismissed.
It
was learnt that the corporal was made to face an orderly-room trial for leaving
his place of duty and for discreditable conduct and was found guilty.
The
CP said, “We do not condone crime. We go after anyone including members of the
Force who go out of their way to commit crime. We will investigate and
prosecute them if found culpable and ensure we gain conviction. This particular
dastardly act will not be an exception.”
The
suspect was arraigned on Tuesday before a magistrate’s court in Ilorin.
According
to the First Information Report obtained in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital,
the suspect buried the late inspector at the back of the Osi Police Barracks.
It
said, “Investigation conducted at the Criminal Investigation and Intelligence
Department, Ilorin, revealed that on May 6 at about 10pm, while Inspector
Lateef Shuaib was defecating inside the bush, very close to the barracks at the
Osi Police Station, you Daramola Tosin, callously and viciously traced him to
the bush and shot him with your AK-47 rifle that led to his untimely death and
you later buried him inside the bush at the back of Osi Police Barracks without
the knowledge of anybody.”
The
FIR said the offences were culpable homicide, breach of trust and theft, and
were contrary to sections 221, 312 and 289 of the Penal Code.
When
the case was called up, the police prosecutor, Inspector James Odaodu, said the
offence of murder was capital in nature, adding that the suspect could not be
admitted to bail.
He
prayed the court to remand the suspect in prison custody.
The
magistrate, Mr. Nurudeen Adeyanju, who did not take the plea of the accused,
said his court lacked jurisdiction to entertain the matter since it was a
murder charge.
He
added that it should be handled by the high court.
He,
however, ordered that the accused be remanded at the Federal Prison, Mandalla.
The
case was adjourned till June 21, 2016, for mention.
Meanwhile,
Shuaib’s wife, Mosunmola , 47, of Ife, Olukotun, in the Yagba East of Kogi
State, said the death of her husband by someone he trusted was devastating to
the family.
She
stated that their children, Kudirat, 23, and Sadiat, 20, had been traumatised
by the calamity.
She,
however, commended the CP and other officers of the command for the
investigation and the arraignment of the accused.
Mosunmola
said she was hopeful that justice would be done.
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