Police reverses position on woman blamed for man’s death over phone

The Lagos State Police has changed its position on a woman accused of instigating the lynching of a man wrongly accused of stealing a mobile phone.

Police had earlier claimed the woman, identified as Iya Iyabo, who reportedly led thugs who killed the man, was a mere “witness” and secretly released her from custody.

But after this newspaper reported her release, police have now said the woman is being treated as a suspect in the killing of Olamide Omolede, a 22-year-old man.

Mr Omolede was wrongly accused of stealing a mobile phone.

PREMIUM TIMES exclusively reported how Mr Omolede was killed on Monday and thrown into the lagoon at Badore-Ajah by some hoodlums, led by the woman who wrongly accused him.

The phone was later seen with the son of the woman, who is presently at large.

The body of the deceased was brought out from the river two days after and has been deposited in the mortuary for autopsy.

Five persons were arrested including the woman who raised the false alarm.

This newspaper, however, revealed how Lagos State Police secretly released Iya Iyabo by simply tagging her a mere witness.

Bala Elkana, Lagos Police spokesperson said: “Four suspects have been arrested and the CP has instructed the homicide section to take over the matter. They are transferring them to Panti today.”

“The woman did not participate in the killing, so, you can’t treat her as a suspect. Her son is the suspect. The woman is being used as a witness to help us,” he told our correspondent, earlier.

Sudden U-turn

After PREMIUM TIMES report, Mr Elkana called our correspondent back to disclose that the woman has been added as the prime suspect in the killing.

“The mother of the boy at large has also been detained with the four others for questioning now to answer some questions.”

“So, she is also part of the suspects we’re looking at now because of some roles we learned she played,” he told our correspondent.

The police also said they shall update the public as events unfold.