Police Inspector Commits Suicide To Avoid Murder Trial

A Police Inspector, Okon Essien, detained at the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Yaba, for allegedly shooting and killing one Hassan Stanley, has allegedly killed himself to avoid trial.

The suspect was reported to have used his pair of trousers to hang himself.

The Police Command’s Spokesman, Bala Elkana, said that Essien was arrested at Akodo on January 1.

He was arrested alongside three of his colleagues namely; Inspector Lawrence Adegboye, Inspector Olorunloju Olusegun and Sergeant Ovbioghi Joseph.

“The Police officers intercepted four suspects namely Samson Ugonah, Omachi Godwin, Hassan Stanley and Prosper Okoye along Area 12, Offshore Oil Dangote Refinery Project, Akodo.

“Inspector Essien is alleged to have shot at one of the suspects, Stanley, resulting to his death.

“The policemen were arrested and taken to SCID, Yaba, for investigation,” he said in a statement.

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Elkana said that Essien was alleged to have killed himself while in custody.

“His corpse has been deposited at the mortuary for autopsy.

“The Commissioner of Police, Lagos State, Hakeem Odumosu, has ordered an indepth investigation into the case.

“Investigation is ongoing,” he said.

A source told our correspondent that Essien was brought to the SCIID on Tuesday for allegedly killing a man at the Dangote refinery.

Essien, who was arrested along with three others, was briefly interrogated by detectives and put in the cell for further questioning the following day.

“We were still looking at the case and examining the evidence against him. It is shocking that he could do that,” a source said.

Another police source said the cop was allowed to wear his trousers into the cell because he was still in his uniform.

The source stated, “People sometimes ask why suspects are asked to remove their clothes before entering the cell; this is just one of the reasons.

“A suspect, who committed a capital offence, may feel that instead of going through the stress of trial, he could just end his own life.

“That is why the police always ask people to take off their clothes.

“But this man was allowed to have his trousers on because you know people thought he was an officer and again, he was in his uniform.

“He then decided to use the pair of trousers to kill himself. So, who would have thought that he could do that to himself?”