A 23-year-old suspect, Godwin Emmanuel, has confessed to stealing a mobile phone belonging to a police officer while being transported in a patrol van to the Osun State Police Command in Osogbo.
Emmanuel, arrested alongside two others for armed robbery and rape, claimed he used the stolen phone to contact his family.
The suspect, originally from Ikorodu, Lagos State, explained that he acted impulsively, taking the phone from the van without realizing it belonged to a policeman.
“I was arrested for armed robbery in Ile-Ife. While being transported to the Osun State Police Command in Osogbo, I stole a phone from the police patrol van. I didn’t realize it was a policeman’s phone,” Emmanuel admitted during his confession.
According to Emmanuel, he removed the SIM card from the phone and smuggled it into his holding cell to call his family, who were unaware of his arrest.
“I didn’t know what I was doing at the time. They later searched me in the cell and found the phone. Please tell them to forgive me. I won’t do it again,” he pleaded remorsefully.
The Osun State Police Command’s Public Relations Officer, Yemisi Opalola, provided further details during a press briefing in Osogbo.
She revealed that Emmanuel and his accomplices, identified as 28-year-old Olajide Kareem and 33-year-old Mike Emmanuel, were responsible for a violent armed robbery along the Ilesa-Osu Expressway.
During the robbery, one of the victims was also sexually assaulted, a crime that has drawn significant public outrage.
After committing the heinous acts, the suspects fled to Ikorodu in Lagos State, where they were eventually tracked and apprehended by the Anti-Kidnapping Unit.
“The suspects have confessed to being members of the armed robbery gang. Efforts are ongoing to apprehend other members who are still at large. After a thorough investigation, the suspects will be prosecuted,” Opalola assured.
The incident underscores the diligence of the Osun State Police Command in tackling organized crime.
Despite being in custody, Emmanuel’s audacious theft of a policeman’s phone has added an unusual layer to the case, raising questions about his state of mind and desperation.
While Emmanuel has expressed remorse, his role in the robbery and the subsequent assault will likely weigh heavily during his prosecution.
The police have reiterated their commitment to ensuring that all suspects involved in the crime face justice, offering some hope for the victims who have suffered at their hands.
As investigations continue, the public awaits the next steps in what has become a high-profile case in Osun State.
