A police sergeant, Samuel Philipps, who was tried for the shooting incident of Saturday, September 11, 2021, which led to the death of an 18-year-old girl, Monsurat Ojuade, at Ijeshatedo area of Surulere in Lagos State, has been dismissed from the Nigeria Police Force.
The police spokesman in the command, CSP Adekunle Ajisebutu, said on Friday, September 24, that the sergeant was dismissed after conclusion of his orderly room trial.
Before his dismissal, the state Commissioner of Police, Hakeem Odumosu, had promised that the matter would be properly investigated and that justice would be served.
The Commissioner of Police, who again expressed his sympathy to the bereaved family, reiterated his earlier promise that justice would be carried out on the case.
Meanwhile, the alleged killer was brought before Chief Magistrate Adeola Adedayo, of the Yaba Magistrates’ Court, on Friday, where she ordered his remand for 30 days sequel to the motion filed and argued by police counsel attached to Panti, Barrister Nwabuisi Augustine, to abide by the DPP’s advice.
During the brief court proceedings on Friday, the chief magistrate granted the application of the prosecutor for the remand of the accused for 30 days, pending an advice from the Directorate of Public Prosecution, which would recommend the murder trial to hold at the High Court, as the charges are related to capital offences.
The defendant was represented by Doyin Shobiye, while lawyer for the Ojuade Family, Israel Mbaebie, was also present in court.
Mbaebie had urged the police to change its “stray bullet” narrative on how the deceased died, saying: “… the bullet that killed Monsurat Ojuade was not a stray bullet, but a case of premeditated murder on the part of the killer police.”
The lawyer also expressed displeasure at the failure of the police to make public its orderly room trial and the late notice the family got with regards to the arraignment.
“Our clients frown at this disrespectful and lackadaisical attitude of the police and also wonder how it has been easier for them to organise an orderly room trial of the so-called killer police without making public their finding till date and, now, arraignment without making public the full identity of the culprit as earlier demanded by our clients.”
The case was adjourned till October 25 for further hearing.
