Funke Busari, Lagos
A widow of slain Inspector Ayodeji Bankole Erinfolami, Mrs. Olamide Erinfolami, on Friday accused the police of killing her husband while trying to quell the #EndSARS protest on October 12, 2020.
While being led in evidence-in-Chief by family’s counsel, Mr. Gbemiga Ogunleye, the wife of the late police officer told the Lagos State Judicial Panel of Inquiry and Restitution for Victims of Special Anti-Robbery Squad, SARS, related abuses and other matters, that she spoke with her husband on phone on the day of the incident before he left for work even though she informed that she lived apart from him.
She told the panel that her husband worked with the police for 18 years and at the time of his death, the late Ayodeji was with Area C, Surulere, Lagos.
“I was later called that he had been shot. I called initially, nobody picked but when it was eventually picked, I was told by a policewoman that my husband was dead.
She claimed that since her husband’s demise nobody has visited her family till she came to the panel.
She further explained that she learnt from someone she knew, who called her from Maiduguri that her husband had been killed during EndSARS protest in Lagos.
During cross examination, Mrs. Bankole admitted before the panel chaired by Justice Doris Okuwobi (rtd.), that her husband was rushed to the hospital by the police, given treatment at a nearby hospital and later referred to a general hospital before he died.
She also told the Police Counsel, Mr. Cyril Ejiofor that her husband never told her that he had any enemy in the office.
The woman also informed the panel that she received 10million Naira cheque from Lagos State governor, but however sought for justice to be done.
She expressed further that she had been to the Mortuary but has not been able to see the husband’s corpse. In her words, “They said they want to do autopsy before they can release the corpse of my husband.”
“I want the police to investigate what caused his death”.
At a point, the deceased’s widow argued that if it was not the police that shot her husband, they ought to have arrested at least one of the killers.
She also added: “If it is not the police that killed Ayodeji, bring the person out.”
During the proceeding, a video of the shot police officer was shown on a video clip where it appeared the said late police officer was shot in the stomach and wriggling in pain.
Describing the woman seen trying to assist the late officer at a scene, widow of the deceased revealed that though the lady is not a police officer, Mrs. Erinfolami claimed she works with the police at the tracking office.
Further hearing in the matter has been adjourned till January 15, 2021 following police counsel’s request to call a witness.
