Molestation: Lagos CP removes DPO over negligence

The divisional police officer of Olosan Division Mushin in Lagos has been removed over professional misconduct by his officers.

The Commissioner of Police, in the state, Idowu Owohunwa, also directed that all the officers involved in the act be identified, arrested and made to face disciplinary actions.

Benjamin Hundeyin, the police spokesperson in the state, made this known via his Twitter handle on Tuesday.

Backstory

In a recent video, a lady identified as Omolara James narrated how she was raped and assaulted by an auto spare parts dealer popularly called Bebex in Ladipo, Mushin area of the state.

She also said that her phone and neck chain were forcefully taken from her.

In the video which has now gone viral, the nursing mother said she had gone out to get food to break her fast in the evening when the incident occurred.

“On my way back, he (Bebex) called me, …name your price. I asked, ‘Are you talking to me, Uncle?’ He said, ‘Name your price, I want to touch those things that you are holding’ (referring to her breast),” she recounted.

“So I asked, ‘What am I holding? Do you want the food?’ He then asked me, “Don’t you need money?

“I told him I am married but he insisted on asking if my husband has money. I told him what sort of rubbish is that and I insulted him. Then he asked someone to slap me.

“I told him he was supposed to apologise and not to command his people to slap me. When someone slapped me, some elders in the area intervened and Bebex threatened that he will do more and won’t be held accountable.”

She said that Bebex immediately called some police officers while shouting that it would only cost him some money.

Second video

Days after the video surfaced, another where the woman recanted her earlier statement came up. In the new video, she said what she had posted “was not what really happened.”

She said Bebex only “admired” her, adding that she mistook it for molestation.

However, in another video that surfaced, it appeared that she had been instructed to recant her initial statement.

Disciplinary action

The police spokesperson said the police chief had a meeting with “all parties in this case, community members, landlord association, councillor representing the area, the committee for the Defence of Human Rights (CDHR), Omolara and family, Bebex and his employees, and lawyers representing both sides are in attendance.”

He said that it is “elating and morale-boosting” that the complainant is willing and the matter will be taken to court.

“The CP also identified professional misconduct on the part of some of the police officers involved in the case. For this, the Command Provost has been directed to immediately commence disciplinary action against the officers concerned,” he tweeted.

“And finally, the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) Mushin, in whose division all the officers aforementioned are serving, has been relieved of his posting with immediate effect.”