Five policemen released after 3 months in detention

Five policemen, attached to Area ‘D’ Mushin Police Command, who were allegedly arrested and detained for murder, have finally been released after three months in detention.

The five policemen had been guests at the cells of the State Criminal Investigations Department (SCID), Panti, Yaba, Lagos State for three months.

The cops who were released on February, 13, 2014, were alleged to have shot and killed a suspected Indian hemp smoker.

But the Lagos State Police Spokesperson, Ngozi Braide, denied that the men shot anyone, let alone to have killed.

She added: “Yes, they were arrested and detained, but not for murder. They were detained over illegal duty and for misconduct! There was no single bullet wound on the body of the deceased!”

An eye witness claimed that the men went to raid an Indian hemp joint at the Ijesha area of the metropolis when all hell broke loose.

Apparently some of the people they went to arrest resisted arrest and there was a scuffle, leading to the police allegedly opening fire.

One of the bullets got the deceased later identified as Mr. Eze Dimunah, 25, an apprentice.

But rather than take the wounded suspect to the hospital, the police abandoned him.

A police source said: “There were two brothers among the suspects arrested. After one of the brothers was shot, the second brother had begged the police to take his brother to the hospital, but they ignored him. The policemen took the first batch of suspects to the police station and went for the second. The wounded suspect’s corpse was brought to the station among the second batch.

“When the Divisional Police Officer (DPO), questioned them about the shooting and subsequent killing, they all denied shooting, let alone to have killed the apprentice. They were taken to the presence of the Area Commander, but they refused to open up.”

The Area Commander took the team to the Commissioner of Police, Umar Manko, but they also allegedly kept to their story.

After listening to them, Manko ordered that the five men should all be taken to Braide, for a discreet interview.

It was there they opened up. Manko ordered for their arrest and detention.

Braide however explained that the story was far from the truth of what led to Dimunah’s death.

According to her, investigation revealed that the five men used to raid that particular brothel at Ijesha, where the death of Dimunah occurred.

On the fateful day Dimunah died, he had gone with a friend to drink and have a nice time with prostitutes, when suddenly they heard people screaming police! Police! Police!

It was not the first time police had raided the brothel and nobody wanted to be taken by the cops. Everyone took to their heels, including Dimunah.

The raid happened in the night and staff, prostitutes and customers scampered in different directions.

Dimunah, who was drinking when the alarm sounded, bolted from his seat, clutching his bottle of beer.

He ran smack into a wall, smashing the bottle in the process. Scared and confused since he was not supposed to be at brothel, he continued to ran, still holding the bottle neck.

He suddenly missed his step and crashed to the ground. He fell heavily on the bottle neck, which slashed his throat.

Braide said: “This story was narrated to the police by the brothel owner. The brothel owner told us that blood was just gushing out from the slash like a tap. He walked over to the victim and asked him what happened. It was the young man who narrated this story to him.

“Dimunah shouted for help, crying ‘I don’t want to die, please help me’. Nobody lifted a hand to help him. When the policemen saw him, they just said, ‘sorry’ to him and walked out.

“The man staggered out, clutching his throat, begging anyone to help him to hospital. A Good Samaritan finally assisted him. He took him to hospital. The hospital rejected him. Dimunah slumped and died just as they were waiting for another car to take them to another hospital. The brothel owner and policemen were arrested for not assisting to save the life of that young man.

“The friend he came with to drink on that day was arrested by the five policemen that night. As they were taking him out, he saw his friend on the ground, covered in blood and begging to be assisted to hospital. He begged the police to assist Dimunah, but they ignored his pleas.”

Braide added that the matter only came to the knowledge of the police authourity after the deceased’s father came all the way from East to see her, claiming that policemen killed his son.