Alleged Murder: Edo Police Arraign Two FRSC Officers

 

Edo State Police Command on Wednesday arraigned two Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) officials in Benin-city for an alleged murder of a 38 years old passenger, Samuel Odion.

The suspects, Onotu Joseph, 32, and Francis Igboh, 35, who are officers of FRSC in  Edo State were alleged to have killed Odion on October 14, 2019, at Owa hill, Benin-Asaba Road in the state.

On October 21, the two corps marshals were arrested by the police for allegedly beating a passenger to death when he prevented the driver from being extorted by the officials.

Initially, four of the officers identified as Francis Igboh, Sunday Ogi, Samson Alolade and Joseph Onolade, serving at Abudu outpost in the state, were involved in the alleged murder.

While the police were able to arrest two of the suspects, two still remained at large.

It was gathered that the deceased passenger, Odion, 36, had hired an Audi 80 car and was traveling in it when the driver was flagged down by the embattled FRSC personnel at Okwuaghe Hill on Agbor road in Edo State on October 14, 2019.

The deceased passenger was said to have aided his driver to put up strong resistance against alleged extortion attempts initiated by the FRSC officers.

It was gathered that the altercation that ensued between the officers and the passenger paved the way for the driver to flee the scene, living him at the mercy of the operatives.

Thereafter, the enraged road safety agents allegedly descended on the passenger, who they chased to a nearby bush and allegedly beaten to death.

They were further alleged to have abandoned the corpse, returned to their official vehicle and sped off.

It was also gathered that the driver who drove to the deceased passenger’s residence where he earlier picked him in a nearby village, to inform his relatives, was accused of kidnapping him and swiftly handed over to the police in Abudu.

Police investigation, however, led to the arrest of the two of the FRSC officers, who eventually took investigators to the bush where the decomposing body was evacuated on October 17, 2019.

On this premise, the two corps marshals (suspects) were arraigned in court on a two-count charge, bothering on conspiracy and murder.

According to the charge sheet, "That you Onotu Joseph 'm'  and Francis Igboh 'm'  had on or about October 14, 2019, at about 12.00hrs at Owa Hill on Benin-Asaba  expressway in the Benin judicial division did conspire among yourselves to commit felony to wit (murder), thereby committed an offence punishable under section 324 of the Criminal Code Cap 48, Vol. 11, laws of the defunct Bendel State of Nigeria 1976 now applicable in Edo State."

The trial judge, Hon Justice Ohimai Ovbiagele, remanded the two in prison custody, and fixed hearing for November 12, 2019.

Speaking to journalists, the state Counsel, Peter Ugwumba, said the suspects were arraigned for justice to be served, adding that the case had been referred to the state legal department for advice.