Man, 22, Disarms Police DPO, Steals His Phone While On Duty

MICHAEL AKINOLA

It was a nasty experience for Divisional Police Officer, Olosun Division, Mushin, SP Ayodele Arogbo, after a 22-year old man reportedly disarmed him, robbed him of his phone and escaped while he was on official duty in Lagos.

P.M.EXPRESS reports that the incident happened at Ojuoye Market junction by Isolo Road, Mushin area of Lagos, where he had gone to perform an official duty during the Presidential visit few months ago.

The suspect, Taofik Salau, has been arrested for conspiracy; conduct likely to cause breach of public and stealing. But he denied any conduct likely to cause breach of public peace and said that he did not conspire with any person but pleaded guilty of stealing the DPO’s phone while he was on official duty.

It was still a surprise how Salau managed to disarm Arogbo and robbed him of his Nokia phone worth about N140,000 particularly on the day the incident happened.

It was gathered that the ugly incident happened on the day of the Presidential visit as Police officers were mobilised to various points, which made Arogbo to be at the place Salau went to rob.
Jolted by the loss of the mobile phone, the Police tried to trace the suspect and he was later arrested. After interrogation, he was charged before the Ogba Magistrates Court for the alleged offence where he pleaded both guilty and not guilty.
The prosecutor, Inspector Edet Akadu, asked the Court to sentence him accordingly on the charge of stealing, which he had pleaded guilty and fix a date for hearing since he pleaded not guilty to the conspiracy and conduct likely to cause breach of public peace charge.
Thus, the Presiding Magistrate, Mr. K.O. Ogundare, granted him bail in the sum of N100,000 with two sureties in like sum.
The case was adjourned till 29th October, 2019, for facts, sentence and trial on the charge which he pleaded not guilty of.
However, Salau was remanded in prison custody pending the fulfillment of the bail conditions.