In May 2015, four policemen, attached to the Federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad (FSARS), Lagos State Police Command, left for Edo State, on a robbery investigation. When they got to Edo State, they went to the Edo State Police Command, to book.
A policeman from the Edo State Command was drafted along with the team from Lagos, making them five men. In the course of their investigation, the policemen narrowed down on a suspect, identified as Benson Obodeh. While police accused him of being a car snatcher, his family members described him as a car dealer.
On May 21, 2015, Obodeh was arrested by the policemen and allegedly killed the same day after being tortured. His corpse was later dumped at the Specialist Hospital, Benin City with a different name.
The policemen were also discovered to have collected Obodeh’s ATM card and withdrew N330, 000 from his account using Ecobank and First Bank branches in Port Harcourt. The policemen would have gotten away with the crime, but for the aggrieved members of the deceased family.
They hired a lawyer and within a twinkle of an eye, the lawyer petitioned the Inspector- General-of Police, Solomon Arase. Arase ordered the arrest and orderly room trial of the men. They were found guilty and dismissed.
The four policemen from Lagos Command are Adedeji Adeleke, Oniyo Musa, Abena John and Henry Shobowale. The policemen are all police corporal. The family of the deceased alleged that the policemen killed 26-year-old Obodeh, after arresting him from his residence in Benin City, on phantom charges of receiving a stolen car.
The fifth policeman, from Edo State Police Command, is Constable Joseph Omotoso. He was said to have led the other FSARS officers from Lagos, to the residence of the late Obodeh. After thorough investigation by the police authorities, the cops were dismissed from the service.
An autopsy examination conducted at the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital, (UCTH) on September, 30, 2015 and signed by Dr. Ushie D.E on October 2, 2015 gave the cause of Obodeh’s death as ‘Severe Multiple Blunt Injuries.’
Although Obodeh, from Ubierumu , Uromi in Edo State had been buried, his family members are leaving no stone unturned to ensure his alleged killers are brought to book. After the orderly room trial and dismissal, the five policemen were handed over to the Edo Police Command for prosecution.
They were subsequently arraigned at the High Court 2, Benin City on May 3, 2016. The fifth police officer, Omotosho, was not brought to the court. The case filed by the claimant, the Attorney-General of Edo State against the dismissed officers had in its submission, a-three-count charge of conspiracy and murder of Obodeh, an offence punishable under Section 390 of the Criminal Code Cap 48 and 319(1) under the laws of the defunct Bendel State of Nigeria 1976.
Counsel to the claimant, Barrister Oluwole Iyamu, told the court that the defendants were duly served to appear in court for an alleged murder case but refused to append signatures to those effects, adding that the 5th defendant was also not in court.
The defense Counsel, Barrister Otunba Goke Olukalshin, argued that his client was not properly served as required by the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. He observed that such practice was against the rule of fair hearing, especially as the case was said to be a capital offence.
The presiding judge, Justice Ohimai Ovbiagele, expressed displeasure over Omotosho’s absent in court. Ovbiagele also noted that the counsel to other defendants were absent as well, but prayed that both should be properly informed to appear during the next sitting for commencement of the case. The case was adjourned till June 7, 2016, as both counsels pleaded for more time to put their houses in order.
