Police arrest teacher for manslaughter

Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mohammed Abubakar

The police in Kwara State have arrested a teacher at Oke-Aluko, Ilorin, Mr. Bashir Aduragba, over the death of a man, with whom he allegedly had a fight.

The victim, Kolawole Olanrewaju, was said to have died mysteriously during the fight.

PUNCH Metro gathered that Olanrewaju, whose wife had recently been delivered of a baby, had expressed disapproval with the continued use of a dump site close to the window of his residence.

 A source, who pleaded anonymity on Tuesday in Ilorin, said the school, where Aduragba was teaching was also close to the site and as such, pupils usually made use of it.

The source said, “Olanrewaju’s disapproval was to save his household from health hazard. He cleared the site with the hope that people would no longer use it.”

It was learnt that few days after, Olanrewaju was taken aback when a pupil of the school came to dump refuse at the site.

The source said, “Olanrewaju was angry and he beat up the pupil, warning him not to dump refuse at the place again.”

He added that after the pupil returned to the school and narrated what had happened, Aduragba challenged Olanrewaju.

An argument ensured between the two men, which was said to have degenerated into a physical combat.

There were divergent accounts as to how Olanrewaju later died.

An eyewitness, who also pleaded not to be named, said the teacher hit Olanrewaju with a suspicious ring. He added that Olanrewaju immediately collapsed on the spot and died.

But another source said that the deceased did not die immediately. According to him, he died after their disagreement had been settled by some elders.

The source explained that Olanrewaju slumped in his room and was rushed to the hospital where he was confirmed dead.

He added that Aduragba, who had gone to invite the police to arrest Olanrewaju for the wound he sustained during the fight, became the suspect in the death of Olanrewaju. He was arrested by the same policemen he brought to the deceased’s house.

The state command’s Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Olufemi Fabode, said investigation into the killing had commenced.

He said, “We are waiting for the report of a post-mortem examination on the deceased to ascertain the cause of his death before the suspect would be charged to the court.”

PUNCH