An Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Olorunshola Olusegun, who disarmed an officer, Drambi Vandi, charged with the murder of a Lagos-based lawyer, Bolanle Raheem, on Christmas Day, testified as the fifth prosecution witness on Wednesday at the Lagos State High Court sitting at the Tafawa Balewa Square (TBS).
The witness, who was led in evidence by the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Moyosore Onigbanjo, told Justice Ibironke Harrison how he disarmed Vandi.
While answering questions under cross examination from the defence counsel, Adetokunbo Odutola, the witness admitted that he made a written statement in respect of this matter. He was shown the statement which he confirmed and the court admitted it in evidence as an exhibit.
The witness also testified that he wrote the statement at the State CID, Panti about 5-6days after the incident.
He said, “I had my WAEC/SSCE in 1982 in addition to in-house police training. I wrote the statement myself between five and six days after the incident. I cannot specifically say the time but I think it is on a Sunday morning around 10am. Patrol was still on because we were going and coming in”.
When asked to clarify his earlier testimony that the biker mentioned that a mob was trying to disarm the officer at the hospital, the witness simply said that this was the information the rider gave him but he insisted that Vandi was disarmed inside the charge room.
The witness also testified that the standard procedure after disarming is for the bullets to be counted but said in this case he was not there when the armourer counted the bullets.
He said, “I handed over the rifle and left so I was not there when he counted the bullet. Do you know whether the defendant was also there with the armourer? The defendant was there when I handed his rifle over to the armourer”
“As a standard procedure, if you have been accused of any offence relating to bullets, the first thing when you are disarmed, the armourer counts the bullets in your presence because it is the amourer that gave the ammunition.”
He insisted that the armourer must always be present when anyone is being disarmed.
After the testimony, the Lagos State Attorney General informed the court that the ballistics report, containing evidence relating to the firearms involved, was now ready and same had been shared with the defence counsel.
Justice Harrison has adjourned the case till February 2 for continuation of trial.