A prosecution witness, Assistant Superintendent of Police Olorunshola Segun, has narrated how he disarmed ASP Drambi Vandi, the alleged killer of a female lawyer, Omobolanle Raheem, on Christmas Day, in the Ajah area of Lagos.
Segun said he disarmed Vandi shortly after the tragic incident.
He stated this on Wednesday while testifying before a Lagos State High Court sitting at the Tafawa Balewa Square.
WITHIN NIGERIA had reported that Raheem was killed on Christmas Day while trying to make U-turn under the Ajah Bridge when ASP, Drambi Vandi, shot at her vehicle.
He said, “I am a police officer presently attached a the Ajah Police Station. On December 25, 2022, we were scheduled to go on patrol for 24 hours.
“I was at Ajah Police Station. I was one of the operational officers in charge of patrolling the neighborhood. We had the patrol team divided into various sections and areas of patrol. I was the patrol officer in charge of Ajah.
“Drambi Vandi and I were on patrol together; he was on patrol from Ajah to Ilaje, while mine was from Ajah to Sangotedo. All patrol officers on the said date left the police station after the parade.
“Two hours later, I came back to the station; somebody rode down on a bike; he met me where I was sitting. The man on the bike reported that one of our ASP, Drambi Vandi, shot a pregnant woman.”
The witness, who was led in evidence by the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr Moyosore Onigbanjo, as the fifth prosecution witness, stated that after the rider passed the information, he went to inform the Divisional Police Officer.
According to him, the DPO called the anti-crime patrol team 99; then he went with the patrol team to the hospital.
He explained that after about 30mins, the DPO came back with the ASP.
“When he came back, he was wearing a native shirt on his uniform trouser and he was dangling his rifle on his left shoulder. When the DPO came in, he was led by two other armed policemen. So, myself, the DPO and the entourage went to the charge room. The DPO instructed that he should be disarmed and detained.
“He handed his rifle over to me there in the charge room because I am next in command to the DPO. After handing over, the armourer, whose office was right in front of the charge room, asked me to give him the rifle.
“I don’t know what the armourer did, because I just handed over the rifle,” he added.
During cross-examination, the defence counsel, Mr Adetokunbo Odutola, asked the witness if he made a written statement in respect of the matter and Segun said yes.
After he confirmed the statement he made at the State Criminal Investigation Department, the defence counsel sought to tender the statement and Dr Martins did not object to it.
The statement was marked as Exhibit P6.
Onigbanjo told the court that the prosecution presented the ballistics report containing evidence relating to firearms involved in the death of Raheem to the defence counsel.
Justice Ibironke Harrison adjourned the case till February 2, 2023, for continuation of trial.
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