The trial of killer cop, ASP Drambi Vandi for the murder of Lagos lawyer and Realtor, Omobolanle Raheem continued on Thursday before a Lagos High Court, as a witness, Sunday Akagu told the trial judge, Justice Ibironke Harrison how the defendant begged him for a spare bullet to replace the one with which he shot the deceased to death.
ASP Vandi shot Mrs Raheem to death on December 25, 2022 while driving with members of her family under the Jubilee bridge, Ajah Lagos. His trial commenced on January 16, 2023 when Lagos State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr Moyosore Onigbanjo SAN arraigned him on one count charge of murder.
On Thursday, Mr Akagu, an Inspector in the Police Force serving at Ajiwe Police Station was one of the police officers detailed by the DPO to arrest ASP Vandi. He narrated before the court at Tafawa Balewa Square (TBS), how ASP Vandi begged to be given a bullet to replace the one he allegedly used to kill Mrs. Raheem after he was arrested and taken into police custody.
The witness said: “In the process of going to the police station, the defendant (Drambi Vandi) said, Odogwu, that’s my nickname, ‘help me with one ammunition and I said no, where will I have another to replace it? Why will I give you my ammunition? And I got provoked and told my colleagues what he requested.”
The Attorney General asked him whether he obliged his colleague’s request, the witness replied, “No, over my dead body.”
Akagu explained to the court that he was posted alongside three other colleagues who were patrolling on December 25, 2022, in the Ado area of Ajah, when they received a distress call from their division’s boss to come to the office. “From our office, we moved to the Budo hospital, where the deceased was first taken to. It was at the Budo hospital, where we met the defendant and asked what happened, and he said, let’s discuss it at the station.
Then the DPO ordered us to take the defendant to the station,” the witness said.
During cross-examination by Adetokunbo Odutola, the defendant’s lawyer, the witness said that he wasn’t at the crime scene, adding, “We got to the police division around 1 p.m.”
Odutola had also queried: At what point was the defendant disarmed?”
Inspector Akagu: “I was not there when he was disarmed.”
Odutola: “When he entered your vehicle, was his gun with him?”
Inspector Akagu: “I don’t know.”
Odutola: “So, his gun was with you?”
Inspector Akagu: “No. I don’t know. They disarmed him before we got to the hospital.”
Odutola: “Now you told the court that he asked you for the bullet, which gun would he then put the bullet in if he had been disarmed?”
Inspector Akagu: “I don’t know.”
Odutola: “Can you tell the court the number of the gun you booked?”
Inspector Akagu: “It is written in the arm diary. I don’t know it off the top of my head.”
The murder trial has been adjourned until February 8 and 9, 2023.
The charge against the defendant reads: “ASP Vandi on the 25th of December 2022, at Ajah roundabout, along Lekki-Epe Expressway, Lagos, in the Lagos Judicial Division unlawfully killed one Omobolanle Raheem (F) by shooting her in the chest.”
Vandi pleaded not guilty to the charge.
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