Kunle Adelabu
A mobile police with the MOPOL 63 in lgbogbo, Inspector Bashiru, is now in cooling his off his feet in the police cell over an allegation that he stole a tricycle, popularly called ‘Marwa’ in the local parlance.
The said officer, it was gathered, has been in service for 21 years.
The suspect, who was arrested behind the Olowo – Idikan market at Oke – Oriya, in Ikorodu, on Wednesday, THE IMPACT gathered, is now at the State Police Command with another suspect arrested along with him. The matter has been transferred to the State Command on the order of the Police Commissioner.
It was also gathered that the suspect confessed that he has been involving in stealing of tricycle, popularly known as marwa, with a gang.
Speaking with THE IMPACT, Mr Laketu Olugbenga, a Branch Chairman of the Association of Tricycle Operators, said that he was informed by some of his members on the theft of a Marwa, and that they tracked and disabled it since it has tracking device.
On following the tracker, the stolen Marwa was discovered at Oke – Oriya near Agric, as a property allegedly owned by the suspected MOPOL officer.
“I was called yesterday my some of our members that one of our Marwa has been stolen. God so good, the Marwa has tracking device. We were able to track it down and got the location”, he said.
“It was after tracking it down that we asked that the Maria’s engine should be disabled before going to the location.
“On getting there, the Marwa was parked inside an abandoned building, and when asked the man that was seen around there, he said that he didn’t know the owner and when asked further who the owner of the house is, he said that the building is being occupied by the Hausas.
“Those that went there decided to go inside the house and after searching, they saw an ID Card belonging to the man that said that the building is habited by Hausas.
“After returning to him, and probed further based on the discovery, he pleaded with them to allow him call the man that owns the house”, he explained further.
The said officer later arrived and they called the nearest police station which is Owutu and everyone at the scene were arrested and taken to the station., where the MOPOL officer allegedly confessed to the crime.
“After a while, a MOPOL officer arrived with a gun and claimed that he owns the house and the ‘Marwa’’, Laketu said.
“Thereafter, they called police at the Owutu police station that arrested everyone to their station.
“When I got to the station with our lawyer, the MOPOL officer confessed that the tricycle was stolen and he always assisted them with escort”, he added.
The tricycle association branch chairman informed THE IMPACT that the matter was later taken over by the Ikorodu Divisional Police Headquarters where the matter was initially reported.
“Initially, we had reported the case of the stolen tricycle at the Ikorodu Divisional Police Headquarters, Igbogbo road, when the incident occurred. We later called the police at the police Station in Ikorodu and updated them”, he said.
“Officers from Igbogbo later came and withdrew the case from Owutu, to their station. The suspect was moved with my vehicle with his gun and equipment used in dismantling stolen tricycles, to the station.
“Again, he confessed to the crime and added that he was involved in stealing tricycle three times, l with others.
“Later, when we returned to the station, his boss and the Commissioner of police was called and the matter was transferred to the State Command in Ikeja”, he added.
As at the time of filing this report, all the parties to the matter were still at the State Command in Ikeja.
Attempt to speak with the Lagos PPRO on the matter, proved abortive as he did not pick his phone, but after sending him chats on his WhatsApp, he promised to get back to our reporter but he has yet to as at the time of filling this report.
