Police Parade Grandpa, 75, Son, Others Over Murder, Armed Robbery, Sundry Crimes

CYRIACUS IZUEKWE

The Police in Lagos yesterday August 18, 2020, paraded a notorious self acclaimed traditional ruler of Oguntedu Town, Satellite Town, Lagos, Mr. Lateef Olarinde, his son, Yusufu Lateef Olarinde and three others; Messrs Sanni Olarinde, Kazeem Sadiku and Ayomide Babatunde Lateef for multiple murder, armed robbery, illegal possession of firearms and sundry crimes.

The suspected persons were said to be the brains behind heinous crimes including murder, armed robbery, kidnapping and flagrant disobedience to extant laws in Satellite Townand environs for some time now. 

The Commissioner of Police CP Hakeem Odumosu, while parading the suspected killer father and son during a press briefing to highlight achievements of his Command for the past months described them as “notorious gangs terrorizing Satellite Town”, adding that they would be arraigned shortly after the parade.

Odumosu said, “On July 21, 2020, following a sustained surveillance, operatives of the Command arrested one Lateef Olarinde, male, 72 years old. He is alleged to be the leader of a syndicate of armed thugs, terrorizing Oguntedo area and Satellite Town of Lagos. Also arrested were: Yusuf Olarinde, male, 38 years old, Sanni Olarinde, male, 37 years old, Ayomide Babatunde Lateef, male, 29 years old and Kazeem Sadiku male a.k.a Alawori 35 years old”. 
“The principal suspect, who claimed to be the ruler of Oguntedo Community, has been mobilizing armed men to unleash mayhem on indigenes of Ashaogun Community over a period oftime. Their attacks usually come with sporadic firing and killing of innocent persons. After the attacks, the suspects usually go into hiding. On 18/3/2020 and 18/7/2020, the same set of people killed one person and injured several others. Four live cartridges were recovered from the suspects. It was also revealed that the suspects have participated in series of robbery operations in Satellite Town and its environs.  Suspects will be arraigned as soon as this briefing is concluded.”

P.M.EXPRESS learned that the self-acclaimed traditional ruler, upon his arrest, had attempted to compromise the Divisional Police Officer of Satellite Town with a whopping N5 million Naira but was turned down on principle.  
No fewer than 17 witnesses, who suffered wanton destruction of their properties including a middle-aged woman, whose son was gruesomely murdered in cold blood, voluntarily testified against father and son and their cohorts to Police investigators.

Sources hinted P.M.EXPRESS that the arraignment of the suspects shortly after their parade on Tuesday, before newsmen followed a stern advice from the Director of Public Prosecution, Mrs. A.O. Adeyemi that “a prime facie case of murder, armed robbery, grievous harm, unlawful possession of fire arms contrary to Sections 224, 297(2) (a) 245 and 298(3) of the criminal Law Cap Ch. C17, vol.3, Laws of Lagos State,2015”; had been established against the accused persons.

In a nine count charge pressed against the accused persons in suit N0 1269C/2020, before Honourable Justice Ighile of the Lagos High Court, Ikeja, the accused persons were said to have conspired among themselves to commit murder, armed robbery and other grievous crimes including exhuming the corpse of a late King of the Oguntedo Town, Oba Babatunde Olarinde and burnt it to ashes.
One of the counts read: Murder: That you, Lateef Yusuf Olarinde,Lateef Olarinde, Sanni Olarinde, Kazeem Sadiku and Ayomide Babatunde Lateef  and others at large on or about the 29th of February 2020, around Ile-Epo Bus Stop, Satellite Town, Lagos, in the Lagos Division, unlawfully killed one Azeez Shonibare, male, by stabbing him with knives and different sharp objects all over his body and therefore, committed murder contrary to Section 223 of the Criminal Law Cap C17,7123, Laws of Lagos State, 2015.

However, the accused person pleaded not guilty to each of the charges preferred against them and were ordered to be remanded in Police custody.