‘Ambulance driver was not available’ — husband narrates last moments of Bolanle Raheem

Gbenga Raheem has testified in the trial of Drambi Vandi, the officer standing trial over the killing of his wife, Bolanle.

Raheem appeared before Ibironke Harrison, the presiding judge of a Lagos high court, on Thursday, as the third witness in the murder trial.

Raheem’s wife, a lawyer, was shot dead in an incident said to involve Vandi on December 25, 2022.

Vandi is currently standing trial on a one-count charge of murder but has pleaded not guilty.

‘THE ENCOUNTER WITH POLICE OFFICERS’

Narrating the events leading to his wife’s death, Raheem said on the day of the incident, he drove the family to a nearby church in the area because their church at Ikoyi was organising a programme at the Teslim Balogun stadium in Surulere, which is far from their Ajah residence.

He added that his wife, their daughter, his wife’s sister, and her four children were in a new car.

“A property developer gifted her the car because she had met her target. She was a very hardworking woman. The car was a Toyota Venza,” he said.

The deceased’s husband said after the church service, they went on a Christmas outing.

“When we were done eating, we went towards Ajah underbridge to do a U-turn in order to come to Abraham Adesanya because our house was a few bus-stops from Abraham Adesanya,” he said.

“As I did the U-turn at Ajah underbridge, I saw some police officers ahead of me. I’m not so accurate about how they were because there were cars ahead of me.

“An officer on my left asked me to park. While he was telling me to park. I just heard a large sound from my wife’s side of the car. The window of the car was smashed and I saw blood on my wife’s chest.

“I was so devastated and ran towards the officer (referring to Vandi). My sister-in-law who was inside the car with the children also ran to meet the officers.

“He raised his gun towards Titi (referring to the deceased’s sister) when she held him. I was very cautious of him so he won’t shoot again.”

He said when he got to Budo Hospital along the Lekki-Epe expressway, they asked him to take the deceased to Doreen Hospital.

‘EVERYTHING WAS OVER’

“At Doreen hospital, I asked for the emergency room and I was shouting for help. They brought a stretcher to the car. I told them that I needed help and that my wife was shot,” he continued.

“I was just crying and saying ‘my wife is pregnant, please save her life’. They brought an oxygen tank and put oxygen in her nose and a needle in her hand.

“When they brought the oxygen tank, I cried and pleaded with them. I went to my car to bring my phone to show them my account balance and that money is not an issue. I pleaded with them to save my wife.

“They put cotton wool in her chest to try and absorb the blood. She was trying to pray and the doctor said she shouldn’t talk. After, she was saying ‘I can’t breathe’.”

He said a doctor at Doreen Hospital said she should be taken to Grandville Hospital.

THE UNAVAILABLE AMBULANCE

“When they said we needed to take her to Grandville VGC, I said, ‘let’s go. Where is the ambulance?’ They went to get the ambulance and they later said the driver of the ambulance was not around,” he said.

“I told them they should give me the keys that I can drive the ambulance. They came back a few minutes later and said the driver was with the key.

“At this point, I noticed that my wife was getting weak. I told them we will put her in my car and that they should let us go quickly. I told them a doctor will follow us. I begged the doctor to follow us. At that time, they started pressing her chest.

“I asked a male nurse to follow us. He said he couldn’t because he was the only one on duty. So I started pushing him to follow us. He said I was harassing him, which is true. The nurse did not follow us.

“When I got to Grandville, I ran inside shouting my wife had been shot. A lady doctor was around. As I rushed her in, they started checking for pulse. That is when they said she had passed on. I was shattered.

“I couldn’t talk again. The police carried her by themselves into their van. I just looked at her lifeless body at the back of the van, I just said my wife is gone. It took me a while to put myself together because everything was over.”

CROSS-EXAMINATION

During cross-examination, Odutola Adetokunbo, the counsel to the defendant, asked the deceased’s husband whether he saw any of the police officers shooting at his wife.

“I heard a shot and the window was shattered,” he responded.

“Did you see any of the officers shoot at your wife,” the counsel asked.

“No, sir,” the witness said.

“Did you see the defendant shoot at your wife?” the counsel queried.

“No, I did not see him. I was concentrating on the officer on my left and I wanted to park. At least, he raised the gun at my sister-in-law so I was cautious not to aggravate him more,” Raheem responded.

“I put it to you that the bullet could have come from another person,” the counsel said.

“With all due respect, please I will appreciate that you also be sensitive, while you are doing your work. It was my wife that was shot dead,” the deceased’s husband said.

After the cross-examination, the deceased’s sister was presented to the court to testify.