An Assistant Superintendent of Police, Austin Imagbe has raised alarm over the action of Sulaimon Olabode, a prison inmate in one of the Nigerian Correctional facility in Lagos State.
Imagbe who was attached to former Special Anti Robbery Squad, SARS, in 2016, claimed he investigated a case of conspiracy and armed robbery involving the defendant.
The police officer lamented to Justice Oyindamola Ogala, of the Lagos State High Court, Ikeja, during the ongoing trial of the defendant, that the defendant called him on phone from prison custody, to prevent him from giving evidence against him in court.
The police officer who is currently attached to CP Special Squad, Lagos State Police Command, informed the court of the infraction.
ASP Imagbe said, “The defendant called me from prison on Friday, that I should not come, that if I did not come, the court will allow him to go.”
Dissatisfied with the development, the trial judge asked the defendant about such occurrence, which he initially feigned innocence.
Upon trial judge’s insistence to investigate the matter, stating that she could order the telecommunication providers to find out if he called the Investigating Police Officer, the defendant made a u-turn and confessed to the court.
Giving explanation in Yoruba, Olabode said, “I called him from a business centre to beg him.”
How did you get his number, she queried, “I got it when we were let out to work and talk to our parent.
He added, “One of the IPO’s suspects, Ibrahim Shitta, told me while we were at a business centre, that the inspector is in charge of his case too.
“I begged him that he should pity me.”
The judge would have none of his excuses, according to her, “Your matter is ongoing, so if you know the court number too, you would call,” she questioned him.
“In fact, I’m still going to investigate.”
The defendant who appeared unsettled with the judge’s statement, reiterated that he called to beg him to have mercy on him.
Justice Ogala, cautioned him, “If I hear that again, it will be a separate charge.”
The inmate also claimed that he got the number from another inmate while they were at the Sickler Cell and that he used the phone of an Imam who leads prayers at the facility’s mosque to call.
The judge warned, “You are obstructing justice, don’t let me add another charge.
“I have given him a strong warning.
“Why are you going extra-judicial, when you have a lawyer? I do not know.
The judge asked the lawyer to take care of his client, “Whether it is a begging or threat, none, let your client know the gravity of what he has done.”
Earlier, the court admitted evidence of the policeman who narrated how he investigated a case of conspiracy and armed robbery reported against the defendant sometimes in September, 20, 2016.
ASP Imagbe, who is the second prosecution witness in the ongoing trial, said the defendant and four robbery suspects, now at large, were reported at Ojokoro-Ijaiye Police station.
He said a complainant reported that the defendant was one of those who robbed the complainant and about 10 other victims.
Trouble started for the defendant when he was arrested as he tried to escape when inhabitants raised alarm.
According to the police officer who took his confessional statement, he told the court while being led in evidence that the defendant fell on a swampy area with the things he robbed from victims.
The officer claimed that three victims volunteered statements which the court admitted in evidence, but the defence counsel, Mr. Okereke opposed the confessional statement of the defendant when tendered before the court, on the premise that a page in the proof of evidence was not frontloaded to him.
The court asked the State Prosecutor, Abike Oluwasanmi to comply before trial continues.
