The Ondo State Police Command has paraded four suspects arrested over their alleged involvement in the murder of a 25-year-old man, Temitope Olorunfemi, who was lynched in Akure after being accused of being a ‘Yahoo boy’.
Recall that an angry mob on Monday April 10, stoned Tope to death, when his alleged reckless driving caused an accident that left one person dead and left six others injured.
After killing Temitope, his car, a Toyota Camry (muscle), was also set ablaze by the irate mob in the presence of his wailing parents.
The deceased mother, Mojisola Olorunfemi, and his wife, Mosunmola Bosede, denied that he was a fraudster. According to the women, the deceased was an Uber driver who came to visit them for the Easter festivity.
Parading the principal suspects on Monday, April 17, at the Police Headquarters in Akure, the Command’s spokesperson, Funmilayo Odunlami-Omisanya said a total of seven people were arrested.
“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,” the spokesperson said.
“Unfortunately those who were around ought to have helped resolved to jungle justice. Some of these people have been arrested. Seven people put together are in custody but four principal suspects are here,”
“We want to say this again that jungle justice is illegal, and it is against the law. There is a reason why we have a police force and if any issues like this come on board, we should be thinking of rescuing the victims by taking them to the nearest hospital for first aid. It is wrong for anybody to take the life of anyone, we should allow the law to take its course,” the PPRO stated.
The spokesperson listed the names of the suspects as; Ismaila Durotoye (32), Pelumi Farotimi (42), Samuel Olatunji (20) and Victor Amos (30).
Odunlami-Omisanya, said the suspects will be charged to court after completion of investigation for murder and arson and appealed to members of the public not to take laws into their hands.
“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 stated.
“There is no room for jungle justice in this state, our law does not accommodate jungle justice and anybody found culpable will be dealt with according to the law,” she added.
One of the suspects, Victor Amos, admitted to beating Olorunfemi but denied killing him, claiming that he only wanted to release himself from the deceased’s grip after he held onto his leg.
“When I gave him some punches, he held on to my leg and in order to release myself from his grip before he could drag me into the gutter, I tried to choke him on his neck,” he said.
Another suspect, Samuel Olatunji, claimed that he was not at the scene of the incident when it happened, but was arrested in his shop in Davog area of Ijoka in Akure.
