Arotile: Court frees two suspected killers
A Kaduna State Magistrate Court yesterday freed two of the three persons suspected to have been responsible for the death of Nigeria’s first female fighter helicopter pilot Flying Officer, Tolulope Arotile.
The first suspect, Nehemiah Adejor, who drove the car that killed the Air Force Pilot, will be charged for culpable homicide and criminal conspiracy in the State High Court.
Arotile was hit and consequently and killed by a vehicle driven by his secondary school mate, Nehemiah Adejor in July.
The 2nd and 3rd suspects, Folorunsho Igbekele Faith and Gbayegun Deji – are said to have been passengers in the same vehicle.
At the resumed hearing yesterday, the prosecuting Counsel, DSP Martins D. Leo, asked the Court to acquit the 2nd and 3rd suspects, as available evidence did not find them culpable.
Magistrate Benjamin Hassan, in his judgement discharged 2nd and 3rd suspects, Folorunsho Igbekele Faith and Gbayegun Deji, sequel to a Police investigation, which did not find them guilty of any wrongdoing in the death of the combat pilot.
Director of Public Prosecution (DPP), advising the court, said:
“There is no premeditation in the death of the Flying Officer Arotile, but there is sufficient evidence to prosecute the 1st suspect, Nehemiah Adejor for culpable homicide not punishable with death.
“On the 14 day of July, 2020, the suspects, all male of Auta Alkali Farin Gida, Mando Kaduna inside a Kia Sorento with Registration. No AZ 478 MKA Kaduna being driven by the 1st suspect sited the deceased (NAF/4512F Flying officer Tolulope Arotile) at NAF Base Kawo, Kaduna, whom they identified as their school mate at Air force Secondary school, Kaduna.
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“The 1st suspect, full of enthusiasm, recklessly reversed the car in order to meet the deceased and in the process ran over her consequent upon which the deceased lay unconsciously on the ground. The deceased was rushed to NAFX64 Base Hospitàl-for- medical attention but was later pronounced dead by the medical Doctors at the Hospital.
“The suspects were arrested and taken to 461 NAF Hospital Kaduna for toxicology test and results were all negative. They were later transferred to the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department, Kaduna on the 24th day of July, 2020 for further discreet investigation.
“Police investigation reveals that all the suspects attended the same secondary school with the deceased and upon sighting her, the 1st suspect recklessly reversed the car and eventually ran over the deceased which led to her untimely death.
“The 1st suspect admitted in his cautionary statement that on the 14th day of July, 2020 he was together with the two other suspects in a car KIA Sorento he was driving, when he saw the deceased walking along the roadside of the Air force Base.
“He informed the other suspects who screamed enthusiastically after which he stopped and started reversing the car in order to meet the deceased and exchange pleasantries. In the process of which he mistakenly ran over her and she later died. He denied having any premeditated plan to kill her.”
