Operatives of the Ogun State Police Command have arrested three residents of Iju Ota for allegedly beating a suspected phone thief, Samuel Ajibade, to death.
The police said the three suspects: Ugo Obi, Chinonso Jude and Chibuke Samson, were arrested on Friday, after the incident.
According to the state Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Abimbola Oyeyemi, in a release, it was the deceased’s father, Gbenga Ajibade, who reported the matter at the Onipanu divisional headquarters.
“The three men, all of MTN Street, Iju Ota, were arrested following a report.
“His son, Samuel, was alleged by the suspects to have stolen two handsets, consequent upon which the three suspects jointly beat him to the state of coma. He stated further that the deceased was rushed to the Ota General Hospital for medical attention but he was confirmed dead by the doctor on duty soon after he got to the hospital.
“Upon the report, the Divisional Police Officer of the Onipanu division 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 an angry mob who had gathered to apply jungle justice on them immediately they heard that the victim was dead.
“The corpse of the deceased had been deposited at the Ota General Hospital mortuary for post mortem examination. Meanwhile, the Commissioner of Police, Edward Ajogun, has 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 CP therefore warned that the command will not tolerate any form of jungle justice on anybody suspected of any type of crime. He 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 the law into their own hands.”
