The Ondo State Police Command on Monday said it had arrested no fewer than seven persons in connection with the killing of a man, Tope Olorunfemi, in a mob attack in Akure, the state capital.
This is just as one of the suspects, Victor Amos, admitted that he hit the deceased’s head with a stone.
Olorunfemi, a driver, was killed in a mob attack at the Ijoka Area of Akure on Easter Monday after his Toyota car allegedly crushed one person to death and injured six others.
He was thereafter lynched while his vehicle was set ablaze by some people in the area.
The people had alleged that they found some fetish items in his car, raising suspicion that he was a ‘Yahoo boy.’
Parading the suspects at the police headquarters in Akure, the state Police Public Relations Officer, Mrs Funmilayo Odunlami, confirmed that seven persons were arrested but four of them were paraded before journalists.
The PPRO identified the suspects paraded as Samuel Olatunji, 20, Pelumi Farotimi, 42, Ismaila Durotoye, 32 and Victor Amos, 30.
Odunlami added that an investigation into the incident is ongoing while the suspects would be charged in court for murder and arson. She declared that the command is on the trail of other suspects still at large.
She said, “Last week Monday, we had a case of jungle justice in Akure in which a young man who was driving along Ijoka Road had an accident and unfortunately killed one commercial motorcyclist and injured six others.
“Unfortunately, those who were at the scene resorted to jungle justice. Some of these people have been arrested. Seven people are in custody but four principal suspects are here. Jungle justice is illegal, it is against the law. It is wrong for anybody to kill anybody anyone under the guise that the person had killed someone else.
“We are not through with the arrest of suspects. Some suspects are still at large. After investigation, all suspects involved will be charged with arson and murder.”
The PPRO also disclosed that the victim had been buried on Monday.
One of the suspects, Amos, who spoke during the parade insisted that some fetish items were found in the deceased’s car, admitting that he was involved in the beating of the deceased.
He said, “On getting to the scene of the accident, the deceased had been beaten to a pulp, and he had been soaked in his blood. Commercial motorcyclists beat him mercilessly. I didn’t even know those that stoned him. On getting to the scene, I was moved by the lifeless bodies of those that he crushed and that made me pick up a stone and hit him on the head. I didn’t even know that he was the younger brother of my friend.
“When I gave him some punches, he held on to my leg and to release myself from his grip before he could drag me into the gutter, I tried to choke him on his neck. I indeed saw a small coffin and tortoise inside the car before it was burnt. But I was no longer there when the car was set ablaze.
“I was not arrested by the police. I went to report myself at Ala Police Station when my picture was being circulated as part of those who participated in the beating. I told the police that I beat and stoned him but I did not kill him.”
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