IBADAN— OYO State Police Command yesterday dismissed the policeman that shot a butcher over a N20 bribe. The Police Public Relations officer of the state command (PPRO) DSP Babatunde Shodimu who spoke to newsmen said that the police corporal will be arraigned before a magistrate court today (wednesday) after police must have concluded their investigations.
According to him, the police corporal (namewitheld) was dismissed immediately after his arrest over the killing of a middle aged man, Saidi Olukunle Aborisade at Orogun/Ajibode police checkpoint in Ibadan on Monday (12/7/2004).He explained that the detectives from the state police command are presently working round the clock towards ensuring that the police corporal was prosecuted in accordance with the law.DSP Shodimu pointed out that as at the time of sending this story, the police corporal is still in police custody from where he would be moved to the Iyaganku Magistrate court for prosecution.It would be recalled that the butcher, simply identified as Saidi Olukunle Aborisade was shot dead by the policeman at the Orogun/Ajibode police checkpoint in Ibadan.
Narrating the incident to journalists, the driver of the vehicle in which Saidi was shot dead, Liasu Olalere said trouble started around 6am when they met two policemen at the Orogun/Ajibode police checkpoint when they were on their way to Lam Adesina cattle market during which the policemen demanded N20 egunje from them.Olalere stressed that himself and the deceased having narrated their mission to the two policemen promised them that the N20 egunje would be given to them while returning form the cattle market later in the day.He stated that the policemen insisted despite the pleas and that at a point, the butcher urged the policemen to bear with them since they are in a hurry to the cow market for the day's job.The driver said at this juncture, one of the policemen pulled his gun’s trigger and within a twinkle of an eye, the policemen fired at the butcher in the right shoulder few minutes after which he gave up the ghost.Olalere declared that the trigger happy policeman immediately after confirming the middle aged butcher dead, disappeared from the police checkpoint to an unknown destination.
Over 250 butcher men in the state capital Ibadan protested the killing of their colleague and called on the state government to set a probe panel on the incident saying that this is not the first time members of the association would be killed in such a circumstance.
