Twists in Ogundeji’s murder trial - Punch Editorial Board

At a time when the nation was awaiting the outcome of the Coroner’s inquest set up by the Lagos State Government to determine the circumstances surrounding the controversial killing of Mr. Abayomi Ogundeji, a former member of the Editorial Board of ThisDay Newspaper, unknown gunmen assassinated one Tunmise, the key witness in the case. Tunmise was alleged to be with Ogundeji in the car on the night of the incident and had reportedly witnessed the killing. The counsel to the Ogundeji family, Mr. Bamidele Ogundele, informed the Yaba District Coroner’s Court that Tunmise was killed by unknown gunmen in Sagamu, Ogun State.

According to Ogundele, some police operatives from Lagos had gone to Tunmise’s house in Sagamu to forcefully take her to Lagos for interrogation but the lady and the family rebuffed the suspicious attempt. The matter was later reported at the Sagamu Police Station where it was resolved that the Lagos policemen should leave Tunmise alone. Ogundele said that Tunmise was assassinated two days later.

The attempted forceful arrest of the key witness by the Police and her killing two days later have again raised fresh issues on the possible culpability of the Police in the murder of the journalist.

When Ogundeji was murdered on the night of Sunday, August 17, 2008 under controversial circumstance, the Police had claimed that he was killed by armed robbers. Some days later, they paraded a couple, Alhaji Suraju Folarin and his wife, who, at a press conference arranged by the Police, claimed they witnessed the incident. The couple claimed a gang of six armed robbers snatched their Murano Jeep and held them hostage in it.

They claimed the armed robbers were arguing among themselves whether or not to snatch Ogundeji’s Kia Sportage Jeep that was coming behind. In the process, Ogundeji’s car hit their Murano Jeep from the rear. In their anger, the armed robbers alighted and ordered Ogundeji to come down but he refused. This infuriated the men of the underworld who, according to the couple, shot him in the head.

Reports say when the Police paraded the couple, they censored journalists’ questions and prevented them from recording the session or taking photographs of the couple.

The autopsy report carried out on the deceased indicates that he was shot from the rear. Is it possible for him to have been shot from behind while in a face-to face argument with robbers?

A reported eyewitness account says a man was involved in a hot argument with the Police at a checkpoint in Dopemu and was shot in the process. The Police stuck to their version in spite of this report. Another report says Ogundeji’s remains and car were found in front of Tower Aluminum along Lagos-Abeokuta Road, a different direction from the checkpoint.

The police have been notorious for covering up the killing of innocent citizens and destroying evidence. In 2009, some policemen shot dead a three-year-old Baby, Kausarat, inside her father’s car and hauled the father, Muritala Saliu, who pursued the fleeing policeman, into the cell, for daring to confront a policeman.

The Police shot dead Chief Alade Odunewu’s son-in-law, Mr. Modebayo Awosika, but claimed he was a victim of lone accident. Investigations later revealed a hole in his head, confirming that he was shot at a checkpoint by the Police. When the Police killed six Igbo traders in Abuja in 2005, they initially claimed that they were robbery victims.

All this raises the question of whether the nation has a people’s Police. Can this type of Police be a friend of the people? Who were the police officers who visited Tunmise’s house a few days before she was assassinated? Unfortunately, the Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Mike Okiro, had also jumped to a conclusion that Ogundeji was killed by armed robbers even before any meaningful investigation was carried out.

The killing of Tunmise, if not thoroughly investigated, is capable of stalling other cases before the Coroner’s Court. The authorities must therefore get to the root of her killing while providing security cover for the other witnesses.

The only way the Police can clear their name in the Tunmise killing is to thoroughly investigate her murder and make the findings public. Otherwise it will be concluded that Tunmise was deliberately eliminated in order to cover the tracks of Ogundeji’s killers. The Lagos State Police Commissioner, Mr. Marvel Akpoyibo, and his Ogun State counterpart, Mr. Emmanuel Ayeni, must fish out the officers involved in the Tunmise saga.