The
Lagos State Police Command has arrested the Baale (Village Chief),
Isoko Community, Abijo, Ibeju-Lekki area of Lagos State, Chief Johnson
Avah, for allegedly torturing a boat operator to death.
PUNCH Metro learnt that trouble
started after the deceased, Samuel Benapumo, took a loan of N100, 000
from the Baale and could not pay back at the agreed time.
According to police authorities, Avah, 58, was a loan shark and had demanded 20 per cent interest on the N100,000 loan.
A police officer at Elemoro Division,
who craved anonymity, said, “According to residents of the community,
the Baale loans people money at high interest rates. He had loaned the
deceased N100, 000 and he (Benapumo) was supposed to pay back N120, 000.
“However, after the time had lapsed, the deceased could not pay back, so the Baale continued to put pressure on him.”
It was learnt that the Baale reported
the matter to the Elemoro Police Division and the deceased was arrested
and detained for few days.
The police source said, “The Baale is
highly respected in the area so he reported the matter at the station
and policemen immediately arrested him (Benapumo). After few days in
detention, we called both parties to reach an agreement because none was
willing to go to court.
“Both of them made a verbal agreement
and the deceased said he would pay back in instalment. We released him
and that was the last time we saw him.”
PUNCH Metro learnt that after
some weeks, the deceased was able to clear some of his debt but when he
could not pay further, the Baale sent his thugs to arrest him. The Baale
subsequently detained Benapumo in a room in his palace.
On April 16, 2013, after five days in detention, Benapumo was discovered hanging from a ceiling fan in the room.
Avah reported the matter at Eelemoro
Police Division and said in his statement that the deceased committed
suicide because he could not pay back the money. He added that Benapumo
did not leave any suicide note.
The police arrested Avah for murder and transferred him to the State Criminal Investigation Department, Yaba.
Police investigations revealed that
prior to his death, Benapumo had been tortured and had made frantic
calls to friends telling them to bail him out.
A police source said, “While in
detention at Baale’s palace, he was using his phone to call friends to
help him raise money. He was able to raise N50, 000 which was paid into
the bank account of the Baale’s daughter.
“He had complained to friends that he was being maltreated and that he could die in detention if he could not pay back.”
Avah, however, said only N30, 000 was
repaid and not N50, 000. He said in his statement that the deceased had
also agreed to be detained in the event that he could not pay back. He
however said there was no written agreement to that effect.
It was learnt that the death had raised many unanswered questions and police sources said murder had not been ruled out.
A police source said, “We have
interrogated some residents and they told us that Avah is a high-handed
leader. It is because that village is not located in the metropolis that
is why these things are unreported. Who gave him the right to detain
someone illegally?
“We are waiting for the autopsy result
but from our investigation, there is more to the hanging than meets the
eye. The onus is now on Avah to prove his innocence.”
When contacted on the telephone, the
spokesperson for the state police command, Ngozi Braide, said three
suspects, including the Baale, had been arrested in connection with the
case.
She said, “On April 12, 2013, the Baale
came with the deceased and reported at the station that he loaned him
(the deceased) N100,000, but the police told him to go and settle the
matter since it was a civil case. On their way home, the Baale dragged
him to his house and detained him in his house for five days.
“The Baale claimed that he discovered
the corpse hanging from a ceiling fan but we are not satisfied with that
explanation so we are waiting for an autopsy report. Meanwhile, two
other people who were in the baale’s house when the deceased was
detained have been arrested as well.”
PUNCH
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