Man escapes from police cell, rearrested for alleged theft

RESIDENTS and police officers at Igando Division are yet to come to terms with how a criminal suspect detained at the police cell escaped, while some police officers were allegedly on duty.

The angry residents claimed that the officers on duty that day may have been drunk and were fast asleep when the suspect broke the key to the cell and escaped.

It was gathered that the escape embarrassed the Divisional Police Officer (DPO), who ordered the officers to go after the suspect, and threatened to detain them if he is not apprehended.

The suspect, Lukmon Ogunmuyiwa, was later arrested. It was gathered that Ogunmuyiwa was arrested for stealing after the police had alleged that he con- spired with others at large to commit the offence. The alleged theft happened at Majeobaje Street, off Modina Road, Egan in the outskirts of Lagos.

It was learnt that late in the evening, the 36-year-old suspect reportedly used an instrument to break the two keys in the police cell and escaped. When the information got to the DPO, he ordered that the suspect be rearrested, which the police officers eventually succeeded in doing. Ogunmuyiwa was charged before Ejigbo Magistrates’ court for his offence and unlawful escape from custody. He pleaded not guilty.

The Presiding Magistrate, Mr. F.K. Layeni, granted him bail in the sum of N100,000, while the matter was adjourned till February 21, 2018.