Good!:Police sacks killer cop, arraign him for murder

Firstclass newsline learnt that the Lagos State Police Command has
dismissed killer police corporal, Aremu Musiliu, for opening fire on a
couple in Ijegun, Alimosho, Lagos State.
The 28-year-old was arraigned on Friday before an Ebute Meta Chief
Magistrate's Court on two counts of murder and causing grievous body
harm.
A source reported that Museliu and some other policemen attached to
the Isheri Osun Police Station had mounted a checkpoint on Wednesday
at the Obalagbe bus stop, Ijegun Road.
The men were reportedly extorting some tricycle operators in the area,
when the victims, Mr. Godwin Ekpo and his wife, Idongesit, were
returning from a church programme in their tricycle.
Godwin was said to have mistakenly brushed the policemen van while
trying to evade them. Museliu was alleged to have opened fire on the
couple, after another policeman smashed their windscreen.
While Idongesit died on the spot, her husband, Godwin, sustained
serious injuries and was admitted at a general hospital in the state.
Tricycle operators in the community on Thursday took to the street to
protest the killing and alleged harassment of tricycle drivers.
A source learnt that the police authorities had dismissed the cop
after he was tried in an orderly room trial.
The Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Joe Offor, who confirmed the
development, said the suspect's excuses for misusing his firearm were
untenable.
He said, "The orderly room trial was constituted in the early hours of
Thursday and the authorities were not satisfied with the excuses he
gave for the misuse of his firearms. He has been dismissed."
Asked what would happen to the other policemen said to have been part
of the incident, Offor said investigations were ongoing and any other
culprit would be appropriately sanctioned.
"It was a single bullet that killed the woman and wounded the man.
There is no way eight policemen could have fired a single bullet.
"But investigations are ongoing and if there is any complicity of any
other policeman, we will do the needful," he added.
Musiliu, in an interview with the press, said he never had the
intention of killing the victim.
He said he had wanted to stop the driver with a bullet which he aimed
at the tyre, adding that the bullet ricocheted the floor and hit
Idongesit and her husband.
He said, "It happened 12am in the night, and there were four of us on
duty. We were all in uniform and the Hilux van we used was a police
vehicle; we did not use any illegal bus.
"We have the instruction to arrest tricycles and motorcycles that ply
our roads late in the night. And that was why we did stop-and-search
by that time.
"The man had damaged our vehicle and when I asked him to stop, he
continued running. I could not just leave him to run away and there
was no way I could stop him. I aimed at the tyre and fired a shot, but
I missed.
"The bullet hit the ground and bounced in to hit the woman and her
husband. The bullet did not hit the man in the stomach, but the jaw. I
did not run. The DC came to pick me around 2am at our division where I
was detained."
The suspect was, however, arraigned on Friday on two counts bordering
on murder and causing grievous body harm.
The offences were said to be punishable under sections 221 and 243 of
the Criminal Law of Lagos State of Nigeria, 2011.
His plea was not taken for the offence. The police prosecutor, Godwin
Osuyi of the Legal Section, Department of State Criminal
Investigation, Yaba, in a remand application, said the defendant had
already confessed to the crime.
He said Musiliu was arrested with exhibits, caught with a weapon, and
identified by witnesses.
"There is need for further investigation. We urge the court to remand
the defendant in custody for 30 days to enable us to complete all
investigations," he said.
Firstclassnewsline.net