Police arrest five suspects for lynching man wrongly accused of phone theft
Chioma Joseph
Five persons alleged to have lynched a 22-year-old man, Olamide Omolegbe, over a stolen phone, have been arrested for murder.
It was gathered that the deceased was wrongly accused of stealing a phone from a soft drink vendor at Badore area of Ajah, Lagos.
The soft drink vendor identified as Bolanle Muhammed had raised a false alarm on July 8, at 8:00pm, alleging that the deceased had stolen a phone from her shop.
The false alarm attracted neighbours, who argued on whether to take Omolegbe to the police or to beat him up.
While others left the scene, four persons – Wasiu Wahab, Ramon Ibrahim, Junior Adebayo, Yusuf Adegbite – and the shop owner, succeeded in lynching the deceased.
In a bid to also cover-up the atrocity, the gang had also thrown the body of the deceased into the Lagoon.
Concerned persons had however reported the matter to the Langbasa Police Division.
A team of Policemen led by the Divisional Police Officer, Ada Okafor, a Superintendent of Police (SP) stormed the area recovered the body and arrested the suspects.
Investigations into the matter however revealed that Muhammed’s son had stolen the phone Omolegbe was killed for.
Confirming the arrest of five suspects, the Spokesperson for the Lagos State Police Command, Elkana Bala, a Deputy Superintendent of Police(DSP) said, “ The body was recovered by a team of detectives led by the Divisional Police Officer, SP Ada Okafor, July 10, at Badore Jetty and deposited at Mainland Hospital Mortuary for autopsy.
“ Five suspects including the woman who raised the false alarm were arrested.
Wasiu Wahab who is the principal murder suspect and Yusuf Adegbite were arrested inside the lagoon where they hid themselves in order to evade arrest.
“ Investigation revealed that the phone was actually stolen by the son of the woman who wrongly accused the deceased person. The suspects have also confessed to the commission of the crime.”
Briefed on the matter, the Commissioner of Police, CP Zubairu Muazu ordered the Homicide Section of the State Criminal Investigation Department Panti to take over the investigation and ensure a diligent prosecution of the suspects.
