Ogundeji: Magistrate OrdersArrest Of DPO

By Tunde Lemuel

The magistrate at the Lagos State Chief Magistrate’s Court, sitting in Yaba, Mr. M.K.O. Fadeyi, has ordered for the arrest of ACP Johnson Adenikan, the then Divisional Police Officer at the Idimu Police Division for his failure to appear before him.

He gave this order yesterday after the police counsel, Mrs. Ezenwa, told the court that the phone numbers of the former DPO were no longer responding and that she had reported the situation to the Commissioner of Police, Legal Department.

“I have tried not to implicate anybody in this matter. ACP Adenikan cannot tell me he has not been reading papers. Even as an ACP, he is not above the law. Those who were supposed to protect us have suddenly gone incommunicado. Are we not doomed?

“The Inspector General of Police cannot say that he does not know what is going on because you, Mrs. Ezenwa, represent him. As for Alhaji and Alhaja Folarin, I can understand. If a witness can be murdered, they too should fear for their lives. Who has offered protection to the Folarins? The IG should have put in place a protective arrangement.

“For failing to appear before me since March when the inquest began into the circumstances surrounding the murder of Abayomi Ogundeji, I hereby order that ACP Johnson Adenikan should be arrested, detained and be brought before me,” he stated.

Another witness cross-examined by Mr. Dare Falana was Corporal Omotosho, Police Control Room Operator, who admitted in court that he got a call that there were sporadic shootings along Abeokuta Expressway opposite Tower Aluminium and another call later that someone in a Black KIA Jeep has been shot at the same spot.

“Those calls came in on our distress line (mobile lines). Since that area falls within Dopemu Division, we called them but when they did not respond on time, we called Idimu division who responded immediately.

“It was DPO Idimu who brought the police extract to the control room, Ikeja at about 4a.m. It was from this extract I got to know his name and that the man who was killed worked with This Day newspaper. So I called one Mr. Okolo, Chief Security Officer, This Day, the next day,” he said

During his own cross-examination, Mr. Bamidele Ogundele, counsel to Ogundeji’s family, asked Corporal Omotosho if he bothered to find out the identity of the person who called in to relay the incident.

The police corporal said he not was sure if it was a man that spoke to him.

The sitting has been adjourned till 22 July, 2009 .