Three men have been arrested by operatives of Ogun State Police Command over the death of a 23-year-old man, Samuel Ajibade, who was accused of stealing two phones.
The three men, identified as Ugo Obi, Chinonso Jude and Chibuike Samson, all of MTN Street, Iju Ota, were arrested on Thursday, January 21, 2021, according to a statement by the state Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Abimbola Oyeyemi.
Oyeyemi said that the arrest was made after the father of the deceased, Mr Ajibade Gbenga, reported at Onipanu divisional headquarters that his son was accused of stealing two handsets by the suspects, resulting in their beating him to a state of coma.
The father of the deceased reportedly told the police that his son was rushed to General Hospital, Ota, for medical attention, but was confirmed dead by the doctor on duty.
The PPRO said: “Upon the report, the Divisional Police Officer in charge of Onipanu Division, CSP Bamidele Job, led his detectives to the scene, where the three suspects were quickly arrested.
“It was the quick response of the police that saved the suspects from being lynched by angry mob who had gathered to apply another jungle justice on them, immediately they heard that the victim was dead.
“The corpse of the deceased has been deposited at the General Hospital, Ota mortuary for post mortem examination.”
He added that the state Commissioner of Police, Edward Awolowo Ajogun had ordered the immediate transfer of the suspects to the homicide section of the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department for further investigation and diligent prosecution.
The Commissioner of Police also issued a warning, saying that the command would not tolerate any form of jungle justice on anybody suspected of any type of crime.
Ajogun appealed to members of the public to always report anyone suspected to have committed crime to the law enforcement agency, for proper investigation and prosecution, rather than taking laws into their hands.
