Suspects held for cement theft accused Ogun DPO of demanding bribe

Operatives of Ogun Police Command have arrested three tricycle operators over alleged theft of 300 bags of cement from warehouse of Sandtrust Quarry Company.

The suspects, Lawal Bidemi AbdulRaheem, Olalekan Azeez and Opeloyeru Kayode, were arrested following a report lodged at Awa Ijebu Divisional Headquarters, Ijebu North East LG, by a staff of the company.

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The unnamed complainant told the police that he saw some people in a bush very close to the quarry, loading cement into their tricycles. He reported further that the cement is suspected to have been stolen from the warehouse of their company.

The Police Spokesman, Abimbola Oyeyemi on Sunday told newsmen the DPO, Awa Ijebu Division, CSP Adewalehinmi Joshua mobilised his patrol team and moved to the scene.

According to him, the suspects fled upon sighting the police but they were chased and three amongst them were apprehended.  “On interrogation, the three suspects confessed to have stolen the cement from the warehouse of Sandtrust Quarry, and that they used their tricycles to convey it to the bush, from where they were taken it to the buyers in batches.

“They confessed further that they have sold parts of the stolen cement to their customers before they were caught.  “51 bags of cement were recovered from them in the bush, while another 20 bags were recovered from one of the buyers, while the three tricycles they used for the operation were also impounded,” Oyeyemi said.

He further explained that the suspects were arrested and granted administrative bail while the strike embarked upon by the judicial staff workers was in progress.

Oyeyemi said the trio later jumped bail and went ahead to accuse the DPO of demanding a bribe from them, saying their refusal to budge made the DPO not to release their tricycles.  “They were subsequently traced to their hideout in Ijebu Ode where they were re-arrested on the 26th of June 2021,” he said.

Oyeyemi quoted the Commissioner of Police, Edward Awolowo Ajogun to have ordered that the suspects be charged to court without further delay.  He also quoted the CP to have directed that their other accomplices, as well as their buyers, be hunted for and brought to justice.