Two policemen to remain in prison custody for robbery

An Akure High Court at the weekend ordered the continued detention in Olokuta prison custody of two police constables serving with Ondo State Police Command; Henry Ubogwu for armed robbery.

The two policemen and one Ige Ibukun allegedly robbed Mr. Victor Ojo of his Toyota Camry with registration number MA 862 AAA around Plaza, Oke Ijebu area of the state capital in September, 2010.
The accused persons were later apprehended when the allegedly snatched was involved in an accident around B' Division police Station in Akure through combined efforts of police formations in the capital city.
At the resumed hearing of the trial, the prosecution counsels led by Mr. Dehinde Olafimihan called as witnesses an officer of the Special Anti Robbery Squad, (SARS) and the Investigating Police Officer, (IPO) who investigated the matter at the Ijapo Police Station where the matter was initially reported before transferring it to SARS.
In his evidence, the IPO, Adewunmi Olatunde claimed to have known two of the accused persons, Ubogwu and Bamidele as police officers before the incident.
He said that he had served in the same Police Division with the former junior policemen.
Adewunmi told the court that he was the one who took the statement of the duo of Ubogwu and Bamidele before the then Commissioner of Police ordered they be brought before him for further interview and subsequent transfer of the matter to SARS.
According to him, even though the duo denied their involvement in the alleged robbery in their volunteered statements, the complaint was that of robbery.
There was however a mild drama in the court when counsel to the first and second accused persons, Mr Charles Titiloye objected the admissibility of a statement presented by the IPO as same that was made before him by the complainant, Victor Ojo as an exhibit in the case.
Olafimihan who is the lead prosecution counsel cited section 39 of the evidence act of 2011 and prayed the court to admit it as nothing could be more relevant in the matter than the  statement of the complainant himself.
Olafimihan's argument was upheld by the court and statement marked as  'Exhibit E' by the presiding judge, Justice Idowu Kolawole.
Indicating his intention to call more witnesses, Olafimihan sought an adjournment to allow him prepare the witnesses and the case was adjourned till February 18, 2016 for further hearing.