Kazeem Badmus
THE Aragbiji of Iragbiji, Oba Abdur-Rasheed Olabomi has accused the Commission of Police in the state of Osun, Mr. Olawale Olokode, Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG) Zone XI, Mr. Mukan Joseph Gobum and Commandant, Mopol 39, Mr. Sebastian Moorkwap of shielding police officers involved in the killing of an indigene of the town, Mr. Saheed Olabomi.
Olabomi, a cousin of the monarch, was reportedly shot by Sergeant Adamu Garba with force number 467549 on Tuesday, July 27, 2021, in traffic allegedly caused by a truck driver.
The deceased was shot by the policeman following a disagreement between the police patrol team and the truck driver. He died two days after at UNIOSUN Teaching Hospital in Osogbo.
Speaking with newsmen on Wednesday at his palace, Aragbiji said the suspects had been absent from court in spite of the court order to the police to produce them.
The monarch added that even though family and members of the public were made to believe that the police officers had been dismissed and that he would be prosecuted, efforts at achieving that have proved abortive, saying the command was protecting the accused persons.
He said: “I represent the OLABOMI dynasty of the Ajibode Ruling House Iragbiji whose son was brutally murdered by a team of policemen led by Sgt. Adamu Garuba “M” aged 39 years and his other accomplices Sgt. Ajibola Dupe “F” aged 37 years, Sgt. Atighir Lawrence “M” aged 40 years and Sgt. John Yilkur “M” aged 38years on July 27, 2021 at about 5:00pm at Oke Onitii area, Osogbo.
“The said Sgt. Adamu Garuba was said to have pulled the trigger that sent our son, a harmless Saheed Ajibola Olabomi to his untimely death without any iota of provocation.
“Since the incidence, the Nigeria Police Force, Osun State Command, led by Mr. Olawale Olokode, the Commandant Mopol 39, Mr. Sebastian Moorkwap whose aids are the personnel who committed the act and especially the Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG) Zone XI, Mr. Mukan Joseph Gobum, have conspired to sweep the ignoble act of criminality of the personnel under the carpet.
“Good enough, the family insisted that our son be taken to the hospital and autopsy was conducted by the UNIOSUN Teaching Hospital, Osogbo which established the fact that Mr. Saheed Olabomi was killed as a result of the injuries he received from the shot fired by Garuba Adamu.
“All efforts at ensuring that Adamu Garuba and others were tried by the police (orderly Room Trial) failed even though our family and members of the public were made to believe that the police officer had been dismissed and that he would be prosecuted.
“For more than six months, the suspects were not arraigned. Our family had to seek the taken-over of the matter by the state. Yet, it took several months before the file could be released to the Ministry.
“Even after the release of the file, we have been in court twice, the police personnel were not brought to court despite the service of court order to produce the suspects on the Commissioner of Police.
“On inquiry, it was discovered that Aig Mr. Mukan, Joseph Gobum was said to have been pressured by the Commandant Mopol 39 Mr. Moorkwap to subvert justice and exonerate a murder suspect in a celebrated murder case”.
The monarch called on the Inspector General of Police, Mr. Usman Alkali Baba, to direct the AIG Zone XI and those involved to revisit the matter and allow justice to take its full course on the culprits.
Speaking with OSUN DEFENDER, the elder brother of the decease, Tajudeen Olabomi, said the police authority has not visited the victim family since the incident, adding that family members are now shouldering the responsibilities of the late Olabomi.
“Since the sad incident happened and till this moment, there has not been any form of contact from the police force and it shows they don’t care about the dead.
“Since we have been going to the court, the suspects have never shown up in the court and what we are hearing is that Sergeant Garba has been exonerated which means there may not be justice in this case.
“The family members have been the one catering for the immediate family of the deceased and it has not been easy.
“What the family members want is for the Inspector General of Police to ensure that the culprits appear before the court so that justice will be served” he said.
