Omobolanle: Witness narrates how alleged killer policeman was disarmed
A prosecution witness called Olorunshola Olorunshole, who is a Superintendent of Police, has given testimony in the trial of Drambi Vandi.
The officer, yesterday, narrated before a Lagos High Court sitting at Tafawa Balewa Square, TBS, how the alleged killer of female Lagos lawyer, Mrs Omobolanle Raheem, Drambi Vandi, Assistant Superintendent of Police, was disarmed.
Vandi is standing trial for the alleged killing of Mrs Raheem on December 25, 2022, at the Ajah area of Lagos.
At the resumption of proceedings, yesterday, Olorunshole, who was led in evidence by Attorney-General of Lagos State, Mr Moyosore Onigbanjo, told the court that he disarmed Vandi at the Ajah Police Station.
He said: “I am a Police officer with the number AP-155460. I joined the police force on March 1, 1992, and I am presently attached to the Ajah Police station.
“On December 25, 2022, we were scheduled to go on patrol for 24 hours. I was one of the operational officers in charge of patrolling the neighbourhood. The patrol team was divided into sections and areas of patrol.
“Vandi 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 parade. Two hours later, I came back to the station and somebody, a commercial motorcycle rider came to report that ASP Vandi had shot a pregnant woman.
“After the rider passed the information, I went straight to inform the DPO. The DPO called the Anti-crime patrol team 99 and I went with the patrol team to the hospital. After about 20-30 minutes, the DPO came back with Vandi standing beside him.
“When he came back, he was wearing a mufti on his uniform trousers and was dangling his rifle on his left shoulder. When the DPO came in, he was led with two other armed policemen to the charge room. The DPO instructed that he should be disarmed and detained.
“He handed his rifle over to me in the change room because I am next in command to the DPO. After handing it over, the armourer whose office was right in front of the charge room asked me to give him the rifle. I didn’t know what the armourer did because I just handed over the rifle. The defendant was standing right there in the change room with the DPO.”
During cross-examination, defence counsel, Mr Adetokunbo Odutola, asked the witness if he had made a written statement in respect of this matter and Olorunshola, said ‘yes.’
At the conclusion of the cross-examination of the witness, the trial judge, Justice Ibironke Harrison, adjourned the matter till today for the continuation of trial.