…warn against jungle justice
The Lagos State Police command last Thursday rescued two suspects namely: Joseph Agugom and Paul Agugom, both of No. 10 Bishop Okogie Street Ago from the mobs at Lawanson junction, Itire.
The suspects were alleged to have kidnapped one Justina Emmanuel of same address as the suspects and her 18 month-old daughter, Munachisom Agugom for ritual purposes.
According to the spokesman of the command, DSP Bala Elkana who confirmed the development in Lagos on Sunday, the command’s control room, on that fateful day, received a distress call that a mob action was going on at Lawanson junction, Itire.
Elkana noted that the Anti-crime patrol team led by the Divisional Police Officer Itire, CSP Odey Ogah was promptly deployed to the scene where both the victims and the suspects were rescued from the mobs.
He disclosed that one Honda CRV car with Registration No. LAGOS FST 587 BU, one LG Phone, one iPhone, one bag containing two flasks, three pieces of rope, one black paramilitary belt and one Green Beret were recovered from the suspects.
In his words,” Preliminary investigation revealed that the victim is married to one of the suspects, Joseph Agugom and the child belongs to both of them. It was also revealed that the victim is suffering from mental illness and she is being transported to hospital when she raised alarm and some members of the public stopped the car and descended on the suspects.
“Members of both the suspects and victims’ family came to the station and made statements to the effect that the victim is suffering from mental illness and was actually being transported to hospital. The other two children of the victim with her husband were brought to the station, contrary to the allegations of the victim that they were killed by the husband for money ritual.
“The victim was taken to hospital by the Police for medical examination. Police has launched a manhunt on those who participated in the mob action with a view of bringing them to justice”.
The command’s spokesman however advised members of the public to be more careful not to jump into conclusions on alarm raised by anybody adding that innocent persons had suffered death or bodily harm and inhuman treatment through jungle justice.
He explained that, “Members of the public have the powers to arrest anybody suspected of a crime but the law provides that such persons arrested should be handed over to the Police immediately. It is only investigating that can determine the truthfulness or otherwise of the allegations. And our laws presume the accused person to be innocent until proven guilty by Court of competent jurisdiction”.
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