Raheem: I disarmed Vandi after shooting, says ASP

A witness for the prosecution, Assistant Superintendent of Police Olorunshola Segun, told on Wednesday how he disarmed ASP Drambi Vandi, the alleged killer of a Lagos-based lawyer, Ms Omobolanle Raheem, on Christmas Day.

Segun, who testified before a Lagos State Supreme Court in Tafawa Balewa Square, said he disarmed Vandi shortly after the incident.

He said, ‘I am a police officer currently attached to Ajah police station. On December 25, 2022, we would go on patrol for 24 hours.

“I was at Ajah police station. I was one of the operational officers responsible for patrolling the area. We had divided the patrol team into different sections and patrol areas. I was the patrol officer in charge of Ajah.

“Drambi Vandi and I were on patrol together; he was on patrol from Ajah to Ilaje, while mine was from Ajah to Sangotedo. All patrol officers left the police station after the parade on said date.

“Two hours later I came back to the station; someone rode down on a bicycle; he met me where I sat. The man on the bicycle reported that one of our ASPs, Drambi Vandi, had shot a pregnant woman.’

The witness, who was led in evidence by the Attorney General and Commissioner of Justice, Mr. Moyosore Onigbanjo, as the prosecution’s fifth witness, stated that after the rider passed on the information, he went to inform the division police officer.

According to him, the DPO called the anti-crime patrol team 99; then he went with the patrol team to the hospital.

He explained that the DPO returned with the ASP after about 30 minutes.

“When he returned, he was wearing a native shirt over his uniform trousers and his rifle dangled from his left shoulder. When the DPO entered, he was led by two other armed police officers. So myself, the DPO and the entourage went to the prosecution room. The DPO ordered him to be disarmed and detained.

“He handed his rifle over there in the cargo hold to me because I’m next in command of the DPO. After the handover, the gunsmith, whose office was directly across from the loading room, asked me to give him the rifle.

“I don’t know what the gunsmith did because I just handed over the gun,” he added.

During cross-examination, defense counsel Mr. Adetokunbo Odutola asked the witness if he had made a written statement about the case and Segun said yes.

After corroborating the statement he had made to the State Criminal Investigation Department, counsel attempted to file the statement and Dr. Martins made no objection.

The statement was marked Exhibit P6.

Onigbanjo told the court that the prosecution has presented the ballistics report containing evidence related to firearms involved in Raheem’s death to counsel.

Justice Ibironke Harrison adjourned the case to February 2, 2023 for the trial to continue.