The cop, Drambi Vandi, who allegedly shot and killed a Lagos lawyer, Bolanle Raheem, on Christmas Day was this Friday before the Magistrate Court in Yaba.
Lagos State Police Spokesperson, SP Benjamin Hundeyin confirmed the development in a Twitter on Friday morning.
“Drambi Vandi was, this morning, arraigned in court and has been remanded at the Ikoyi Correctional Centre till January 30, 2023, to give room for DPP advice,” he tweeted.
His arraignment comes a day after his suspension and the Inspector-General of Police, Usman Alkali Baba, met with Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, on the shooting and killing of the female lawyer, on the same day the Police Service Commission (PSC) announced the suspension of ASP Drambi Vandi for allegedly killing Bolanle Raheem.
In a statement by the PSC, signed by its spokesman, Mr. Ikechukwu Ani, the Commission also directed that the final investigation into the matter is concluded to enable the Commission take further necessary action.
In a letter to the Inspector General of Police signed by the acting Chairman Justice Clara Bata Ogunbiyi, the commission stated it has carefully examined the facts of the case, observations and recommendation with respect to allegations against the officer and granted approval for the suspension of the officer from duty with immediate effect.
The letter titled “Re-Request of Suspension from Duty: AP/ NO 134901 ASP DRAMBI Vandi ” with reference No. AP 134901/fs/FHQ/ABJ/9 was dated 28th December 2022.
The commission had earlier condemned the unprovoked killing of the lawyer and had demanded a thorough investigation into the matter. The Commission also called for proper training of Police personnel on weapon management.
Recall that the husband of the deceased lawyer, Gbenga Raheem, narrated how his wife died.
According to the Punch, the husband on Monday told sympathisers who visited his house in the Ajah area of Lagos State, how she was killed.
His story: “On December 25, my wife, nieces, nephews, and cousins, who had come for the holiday, all went to church. On our way back, my wife said since it was Christmas Day, we should take everyone out, so, we went to a supermarket at Abraham Adesanya, then to Domino’s Pizza.
“After that, we headed towards Ajah to do a U-turn to come back to Abraham Adesanya. When we took the U-turn, we saw policemen stopping some vehicles. As we approached them, they said we should stop, and in the process, we heard a loud sound on my wife’s side window. All of a sudden, I saw blood gushing out of her chest.
“I immediately ran out; my sister-in-law, who was also with us, ran out and held the policeman; he cocked his gun at her too. Talking to him was pointless, so I went to see if anything could be done; I saw my wife gasping for breath, and by that time, my sister-in-law had brought the policeman into the car and pushed him into the front seat.
“We drove to a hospital but they said they couldn’t handle it; we eventually took her to Grandville Hospital, where she was confirmed dead. The policemen took her body and put it in the truck; they wanted me to follow them but I said I needed to go and settle my children.”
Vandi, who was attached to the Ajiwe Police Station, Ajah, Lagos State, the newspaper added, was said to have spent 33 years in the police force.
The late 41 years old graduate of the Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago Iwoye, Ogun State, recently moved from litigation practice to property law.
She was the Chief Executive Officer of Croston Homes and co-founder, City Building, a real estate and property development company.
The deceased worshipped with the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Olive Tree Parish, Banana Island, Ikoyi. Lagos, where she functioned as a Sunday school teacher.
The Inspector-General of Police, IGP Usman Alkali Baba, on Thursday met with the Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu at the Force Headquarters, Louis Edet House, Abuja, on possible avenue to achieve speedy justice for the victims of the recent shooting incidents in the state.
The IGP while extending his heartfelt condolences to the families and loved ones of the deceased, reassured that the cases would be meticulously pursued until deserved justice is served, stressed that the Force is working with the Attorney-General of Lagos State to ensure that the offenders are diligently prosecuted in Courts of competent jurisdiction to serve as a deterrence to others.
Governor Sanwo-Olu promised to support the Police in making sure that justice is served in the extant case and to collaborate with the Police on advocacy programmes to educate the citizenry on understanding and respecting the laws of the land for an improved relationship with the Police. He similarly stressed that his administration will partner with the Police to carry out refresher courses, training, and retraining, and other evaluation processes for police officers in all facets of policing duties.
Governor Sanwo-Olu equally emphasised the need to provide some equipment like body cameras, non-lethal weapons, etc., to curb excessive use of powers and boost good police/citizens relationships.
The Inspector-General of Police therefore charged all officers to imbibe absolute respect for rule of law and the fundamental rights of all persons, which is the crux and fulcrum of policing services even as he urged members of the public to cooperate with police officers for seamless collaborative efforts to stamp out crimes and criminality in the Nigerian society
