Four policemen attached to the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) have been arrested in Lagos for kidnapping a bishop and collecting N7 million from him. The policemen were also dismissed by the Assistant Inspector General (AIG), Adamu Ibrahim, in charge of Zone 2 Command, after conclusion of investigation.
The policemen, Sergeants Adeoye Adekunle, Adenira Adebowale, Agbi Lucky and Odighe Hehosa, were said to have been found guilty after the orderly room trial for professional misconduct and corruption. The four suspects were charged to court on the offences of armed robbery, kidnapping, unlawful detention, intimidation and threatening violence based on the outcome of the investigation on their activities. The victim, Mr. Chukwudi Godwin Odionye popularly referred to as ‘Bishop,’ was said to have submitted a petition against the four policemen on May 2 to the office of the AIG Zone 2.
In his petition, Odionye said on June 4, 2017, he was in his house at Alagbado area of the state, when the four armed policemen stormed his house to effect his arrest on the allegation of perform-ing ‘fake’ miracles. He added that after his arrest, he was taken to one hotel at Agege where he was detained and threatened to be killed if he failed to cooperate with them. Odionye said that the following day on June 5, 2017, he was taken to the bank where he was made to transfer N7 million to one of the operatives’ account.
The Zonal Police Public Relations Officer (ZPPRO), CSP Dolapo Badmos, said on the receipt of the petition, the AIG ordered investigation into the case. She said: “On the strength of investigation, it was revealed that no proper police procedure for investigation was followed in Mr Chukwudi’s arrest and the four SARS operatives actually abducted the man from his house and unlawfully detained him in the hotel under the guard of the suspects for personal gain.
“The four policemen were found guilty during the orderly room trial for professional misconduct, corrupt practices, and discreditable conduct were dismissed and consequently charged to court on criminal charges of armed robbery, kidnapping and unlawful detention, stealing, intimidation and threatening violence.” Badmos, who paraded the suspects, said the AIG’s reiterated that the force would not tolerate any act of misconduct which could undermine the value of international best practices of policing.
NewTelegraph
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