Bolanle Raheem: Vandi ran into bus but was dragged out, police witness tells court

Ebimine Fiyegha, a police inspector attached to the Ajah division of Lagos state, has testified in the trial of Drambi Vandi, the officer standing trial over the killing of Bolanle Raheem.

Fiyegha appeared before Ibironke Harrison, the presiding judge of a Lagos high court, on Wednesday, as the second witness in the murder trial.

The police inspector told the court that he was one of the three officers deployed to Ajah underbridge on December 25, 2022 — the day of the shooting.

Raheem, a female lawyer, was shot dead in an incident said to involve Vandi.

Previously, Matthew Ahmed, one of the police officers deployed to Ajah underbridge on the day of the incident, testified before the court.

‘VANDI RAN INTO BUS BUT WAS DRAGGED OUT’

Giving an account of what happened, Fiyegha said Vandi was the leader of the patrol team that was deployed to the Ajah underbridge.

“I was at the front at Ajah underbridge. Inspector Ahmed was in the middle, about 20 metres apart. Vandi was at the back — last person. That was how we positioned ourselves,” he said.

“I was armed. Our team leader, SUPOL Vandi, was armed. I had eight rounds of ammunition in my rifle.

“Around 1pm, I saw one Toyota Venza. I saw one woman in the passenger seat and one man was driving. When I flagged it down, it did not stop. I was wondering why. The man was not speeding.”

Speaking further, the police inspector said he heard the sound of gunshot immediately after the car conveying the deceased passed him at the checkpoint.

“When I turned back, I heard a gunshot and asked what was going on. Before I knew it, people started coming towards the place and started shouting ‘o ti pa eniyan’.

“They were pointing at SUPOL Vandi. Everybody was moving to the scene. There was confusion.

“As I was moving, I saw that the Venza swerved to the right side of the road, a black woman came out of the car, she started shouting ‘you have killed my sister’ and she was pointing to Vandi.”

The police inspector said the people at the scene after the shooting incident dragged the defendant out of a bus and put him inside the car of the deceased’s husband.

“Oga (Vandi) was running towards a small bus — ‘korope’ — and entered it. They dragged him out of the ‘korope’ and put him inside the Venza. I was now wondering what was going on,” he added.

“I called SUPOL Vandi thrice on the phone to explain what happened. He kept saying that I should wait.”

During cross-examination, Odutola Adetokunbo, the counsel to the defendant, asked the police officer whether he saw the defendant pull the trigger during the incident.

“I did not see him. I was facing the front,” Fiyegha responded.

“What is the distance between you and SUPOL Vandi at the Ajah underbridge?” Adetokunbo asked.

“The distance between me and Inspector Ahmed was 20 metres. For me and SUPOL Vandi, it may be like 50 metres,” he said.

“What side of the road was the car coming from?” Adetokunbo queried.

“The car was coming from VGC facing Abraham Adesanya road,” he responded.

The trial judge subsequently adjourned the case till January 26.