Mother weeps as court remands son for robbery

A 60-year-old mother, Mrs. Folashade Balogun, broke down and wept at the Ebute-Metta Court last week Monday, after her son, Opeyemi Balogun, 22, was remanded in Ikoyi Prison for armed robbery.

The woman, a mother of  six children, was apparently not weeping only became of the court’s order, but also because she hadn’t seen Balogun for over five months since he was arrested on November 28, 2015. The court was the first time she would set eyes on him since his arrest.  

Folashade, a retired headmistress, described Opeyemi as a victim of circumstances. According to her, Opeyemi was wrongfully detained by the police in connection with bank robberies recorded last year in FESTAC, Agbara, Lekki and Ikorodu.

Police alleged that Opeyemi and other gang members, killed about seven persons during operation and carted away over N400m from Zenith bank, Diamond, Access, First bank and First City Monument bank (FCMB) in 2015.

 She said: “I thank God Opeyemi is still alive. I have been praying and fasting for his release. My son is not a criminal! On November 28, 2015, we expected him to come home, but couldn’t reach him on phone. Someone later told us that Opeyemi’s name was written at the notice board of Elere Police Station in Agege, in connection with armed robbery.”

She said that all efforts to secure his bail were abortive.

She filed a case through her counsel, O. O Quadri at the high court against the DPO Elere, the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Fatai Owoseni and the Inspector-General-of-Police, Mr. Solomon Arase on charges of violation of Opeyemi’s Fundamental Human Right, unlawful arrest, continuous detention and abuse of his legal rights.

Folashade said: “He was denied right to food, drugs and clothing by the police. Police denied him all these, despite his very deplorable medical condition. It would not be in the interest of justice and the applicant may lose his life.”

 Opeyemi and three others were arrested by the Inspector General of Police Anti-pipeline Vandalism Team, in a hotel at Pillar Street, off church bus stop, Oke-Ira in Ikorodu. He was arrested in connection with pipeline vandalism. But after further police investigations, Opeyemi was found to have connection with robbers that attacked banks in some areas of Lagos and Ogun states. 

The then Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, DSP Joe Offor, confirmed Opeyemi’s arrest. He said the arrest was made by the IG’s Monitoring Team, adding that Opeyemi was also being detained in connection with robbery case.