Two policemen paraded for robbery, impersonation

The Anambra State Police Command on Wednesday paraded two policemen and 25 others for various offences.

The two policemen ─ Corporal Peter Ilo and Constable Nicholas Ogbuanu ─ were paraded for alleged armed robbery and impersonation, respectively.

The Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Ali Okechukwu, at the command headquarters in Amawbia, said   Ilo, who was serving at the Oguta Police Division in Imo State was arrested on August 20 along with suspected members of his gang ─ Ekenne Ohanusi and Benjamin Obinwanne ─ in connection with several cases of armed robbery, including the snatching of a Lexus jeep at the Ozubulu area of the state on June 5.

He said the Lexus, which belonged to one Mrs. Adaeze Ohizu, was recovered from the gang after a tip-off.

He said, “The police corporal and the arrested suspects have confessed to the crime. Efforts are on to recover their operational weapons and also arrest other fleeing members of the gang.”

The PPRO said the second policeman, who had been dismissed from the force, was arrested after he was caught extorting money from a motorcycle rider under the pretext that he was a serving policeman.

He said, “On August 17, 2015, at about 1pm, the team, led by DSP Bernard Mama, arrested one Nicholas Ogbuanu at Upper Iweka, Onitsha, in police uniform.

“The suspect was seen extorting money from a commercial motorcyclist. On interrogation, the suspect disclosed that he was dismissed from the force in 2005.”

However, Ogbuanu insisted that he was still a serving policeman, saying, “I am still in the police. I have been transferred, but I have not reported.”

Twenty five other suspected criminals were also paraded. Their offences ranged from armed robbery, cultism and possession of illegal drugs, such as cannabis sativa.

The police spokesperson restated the command’s resolve to fight criminals in the state to a halt.

- Punch