Offa robbery trial resumes in Kwara

At the resumed trial of April 5, 2018, Offa bank robbery incident in Kwara state, a witness, Shamsudeen Bada, told the state High Court on Thursday how men of the Intelligence Response Team (IRT) of the Inspector General of Police (IGP) led by DCP Abba Kyari allegedly tortured him to implicate former Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki, in the robbery incident.

The witness, who is a former vice chairman of the Irepodun local government area of the state, narrated in court that the IRT operatives said that they were taking instructions directly from the IGP when his family threatened the police with a court case.

He also said that the IRT operatives promised him while in detention that he would be freed if he named Saraki as the robbery sponsor. He, however, said that one of the robbery suspects, Ayo Akinninbosun, was shot in the leg when he declined to indict Saraki.

“After he was shot, my health started deteriorating. DCP Abba Kyari brought some nurses to treat me. Before I was eventually released, the police officers gave me conditions before I was released that I must not grant any press interview and I must not go to court and I should quit politics,” he said.

According to the witness, their arrest was politically motivated to deal with the Saraki camp. “They needed to tag it with something to nail them hence Offa robbery became their option which was a month after the robbery saga”.

The prosecuting counsel later sought an adjournment to obtain a document that he said was not brought to the Court and the case was subsequently adjourned to January 16, 17, and 18, 2023 for the continuation of cross-examination by the prosecution and trial.

It is recalled that five suspects, Ayoade Akinnibosun, Ibikunle Ogunleye, Adeola Abraham, and two others were charged to court by the Police for criminal conspiracy to rob commercial banks in Offa, Offa local government area of Kwara state, murder of nine policemen and other citizens as well as illegal possession of firearms.

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Offa robbery trial resumes in Kwara