Policeman Who Gunned Down Customer At Popular Hotel Surrenders

CYRIACUS IZUEKWE

The mobile police sergeant who gunned down a customers, Mr. Jude Okoronta a.k.a Cornell, at a popular hotel has surrendered and being detained at Area M. Command, Idimu, Lagos.

P.M.EXPRESS reports that the officer who the police had declined releasing his identity, surrendered himself to the Area Commander, ACP Austines Akika, over the weekend. The police officer was said to have escaped after he killed the victim and went into hiding as his action triggered chains of reactions and the hotel was nearly burnt down by the residents.

He was said to be explaining from his hideout that he killed the victim in self defence, ACP Akika then advised him to surrender and if he had any defence for his action, he will be fairly heard in the interest of justice. He then surrendered and was detained at the Command.

The late Okoronta died after the mobile policeman attached to the hotel shot him when he went to drink with his friends in Lagos. P.M.EXPRESS reported that the incident happened at the popular Ileviaoje Hotel and Suites located at Obalade Street, in Ajagun Estate, Ijegun, Lagos.

Following the incident, the youths in the area mobilised, attacked the hotel, damaged about seven vehicles parked inside and almost razed the main building of the hotel. It took the intervention of the DPO Isheri Oshun Division and the Area Commander, Area M, Idimu, ACP Austines Akika to restore peace there and prevent further damage. The corpse of the deceased was retrieved by the police and deposited at the Yaba mortuary for autopsy report.

After the ugly incident, the police officer went into hiding with his Ak47 rifle until he was encouraged to surrender. The police authority through the release from the PPRO, SP Chike Oti, had defended the officer and claimed that the officer acted on self defence contrary to the claim by the deceased’s family.

It was gathered the victim and the police officer had exchange of hot words to the extent that the victim held his gun and attempted to disarm him. It was during the scuffle that the officer was said to have shot him, he fell down and died immediately. By the time he was taken to a hospital, he was already dead and the doctor merely certified him dead.

P.M.EXPRESS unconfirmed information had it that the late Okoronta attended Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, but it was not certain if he graduated before he was allegedly murdered. He hailed from Enugu State.