Former Kwara State Commissioner of Police Kayode Egbetokun has reaffirmed that all due processes were followed in the dismissal of some policemen two years ago found culpable of stealing
The top Chief was reacting to a recent report where the cops complained about what they termed their unlawful dismissal from service
"People have called my attention to this at different times. It is not the first attempt to discredit the credible process that led to the dismissal of the two ex policemen. The narrative here has no bearing or link with the infractions committed by the ex cops for which they were investigated, tried in Orderly room and accordingly dismissed.
The stories are different and not at all related. The men could have done a good job in the past but the good job done yesterday can not be an excuse or a defense for the crime committed today.
I still don't understand why the Investigative journalist did not hear the other side of the story before concluding the way he did (at least my phone number is in the public) Or could he have heard it but chose to ignore it?
The Kwara Comnand under my watch made its position clear through a press statement issued from the office of the CP and signed by the Command PPRO when these dismissed officers first made attempt to sell this false narrative to the public in July 2020. Could the writer be insinuating that because these men have arrested armed robbers in the past, the law should not take its course when they themselves commit the same or similar offence? There are incontrovertible evidence that they did rob the suspect in their custody?
The CCTV footage of Zenith bank was not a neccessary requirement in evidence. Records of cash withdrawal at the counter by the suspect who was still in custody was necessary and sufficient. This was corroborated by entries made in the Movement of Suspect Register and Police Routine Diary on the same day the suspect withdrew the money.
The much talked about CCTV footage would only have been useful as further coroboration if and only if it captured the relevant images. Why were they emphasizing CCTV footage as if proof of their offence lies on it? I listened to the voice recordings attached to the publication but couldn't find any substance in the conversations that would have affected outcome in the Orderly room trial of the two ex cops. This has no relevance to the case against the ex policemen and could not have been used to exonerate them. That is why they did not tender such as evidence in their trial. The robbery case they were using to get public sympathy has long been concluded and suspects charged to court before they committed their own robbery. If any senior officer in the Command had interfered in any case they handled in the past, they knew what to do but did nothing at that time. They should have informed their superior officer who would have briefed the CP about such interference but that was not done.
I started reading about it in the social media after their dismissal. They sent several people to beg me for forgiveness but they didn't mention anything about any senior officer being after them. Meanwhile, they were making this allegation in hiding.
They fled into hiding immediately they learned about their dismissal. They were probably afraid that I would have ordered their prosecution as mentioned in the publication. Before this time, I have severally issued warnings to all policemen against any form of extortion in the Command and they knew I wasn't joking.
If they have any case against any senior officer, let them come out of hiding to substantiate the allegation. The senior officer they are alleging will also be exposed like them if found guilty. I noted that none of the conversations in the published audio recordings was with the senior officer being alleged.
Note that the dismissed officers were investigated, tried in Orderly room and their Orderly room proceedings duly reviewed and were found wanting at the different stages. The ACP that is being accused of interference and sexual advances was not involved in either the investigation or the trial but it was his job to communicate outcome of Orderly room proceedings in the trials of defaulters like them to all relevant sections in the Command.
How do you excuse the type of extortion committed in manner similar to that of demanding and receiving ransom? How do you want to sell to the public that policemen who practically dispossessed a suspect in custody of his valuable belongings are indeed heroes? I would have forgiven them if it was a personal offence against me but their offences were against the system and against the state.
I would have failed in my responsibility to the state if I had acted otherwise in this case. I didn't dismiss them, they infact dismissed themselves. They knew the consequences of their actions and they desired it."
The initial story of their dismissal
The Kwara State Police Command has on Saturday said due process was followed in the investigation that led to the dismissal of some officers who were found guilty of unethical practices.
A statement by the Public Relations Officer of the state command, SP Okasanmi Ajayi, in reaction to a publication circulating in the social media with the caption ” Two Dismissed Police officers petition IGP”, said the command will never condole any act that negates the laid down practices of the police.
Okasanmi said, Kwara state command, under the leadership of CP Kayode Egbetokun while being cautious not to dignify the lies of dismissed officers with a response wishes to assure the Kwara public that the Command is unwavering in her committment to the ideals of democratic policing aimed at inspiring public confidence. This he added is in line with the guidelines given by the Inspector General of Police, IGP Adamu Mohammed, npm, mni.
He noted that, “the Commissioner of Police has consistently emphasized the values of decency integrity, transparency, accountability, expertise and benevolence in the discharge of duties with which officers are charged. He has also always been leading by example, following the example of the Inspector General of Police and has sufficiently warned officers and men of the Command against acts that negate these principles.”
Narrating how the whole trial went, the Police Spokesperson said, “On 10/07/20, after review of all pending proceedings of Orderly Room Trials of erring officers in the Command, the Commissioner of Police, duly approved punishment of dismissal against 4 erring Non Commissioned Officers (NCOs) who were found guilty of serious offences against discipline.
“Various other punishments were awarded and upheld against 8 others while 3 were discharged and acquitted in the trials. The Commissioner of police however ordered Retrial in one of the cases involving another 4 officers.
“One of the cases, tried, reviewed and in which punishment of dismissal was upheld was the one involving the duo of ex Sgt Sola Akano and ex Cpl Babatunde Glorious. They were alleged to have illegally arrested a suspect, booked the suspect already in their custody out on enquiry but took him to his bank at Zenith bank, unity road, Ilorin, where he was made to empty his bank account, withdrawing the sum of N1,190,000 which the dismissed officers collected from him.
“Not done, they again demanded for and insisted on the sum of N200,000 for bail which they also collected from members of the suspect’s family before releasing him. Not done, the duo seized the two phones of the suspect and as at the time of their arrests, the two phones have already been converted to their personal use. It was after the suspect regained his freedom that the matter was brought before the Commissioner of police who ordered the investigation of the two ex NCOs. This was assigned to the Assistant Commissioner of Police, then in charge of IGP Xsquad, Ilorin, ACP Jephta Nengi, a very upright and thorough officer. The Acp and his team did a thorough job as expected and all the facts stated above were established against the dismissed officers.
“The team also discovered that ex Cpl Babatunde Glorious has also converted one of the two phones seized from the suspect, iPhone 11 promax, to his personal use with many of his personal pictures and pictures of members of his family seen on the phone. The two NCOs were subsequently tried in Orderly Room in accordance with Police Regulations and were consequently dismissed from the Force.”
In approving their dismissal, the Commissioner of Police, Kayode Egbetokun noted and remarked as follows “The actions of the defaulters further dent the image of the Force. These are bad eggs that the police can not continue to harbour.
Punishment of dismissal upheld pls”
The Command however call on members of the public to note that any other story being told about the dismissal of the ex NCOs are mere falsehood, fabricated with the false hope of ambushing justice already dispensed in this matter.
