The Lagos State Police Command has arrested a dismissed police officer, Olabode Momoh who was arrested for impersonation after he allegedly presumed the rank of Inspector and resumed duty at the Ejigbo Division.
Momoh was a dismissed police officer since 2005 from the Nigeria Police Force and assumed duty at the Ejigbo Division when he presented falsified transfer documents purporting to have been transferred to the division as an Inspector. His actions come to the notice of officers in the division when his documents were scrutinised by officers in charge of personnel postings and ultimately led to his arrest and subsequently transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Yaba for further investigation.
He was later charged before a Yaba Magistrate Court on two counts for impersonation in contravention of the Lagos State Criminal Law of 2011. The first count read that he falsely presented himself as an Inspector of Police and the second charged him with using a made-up police service number to gain unlawful posting at the Ejigbo Division. Family members were also interrogated during the investigation and later released, but were warned that they may be called back to give evidence during the trial.
Upon arraignment, he pleaded not guilty to the charges, preferring to clear his name. Prosecutor CSP Charles Akinrosoye asked the Honourable Court to set trial dates, while Magistrate A.O. Alaka granted him bail with conditions of two sureties with verifiable addresses and evidence of tax payments in Lagos State.
There has always been concern about the lapses in supervision practice and oversight within the police command and the extent of the breaches in police verification processes As for now, investigation is still pending, and police authorities have said that measures would be tightened to ensure such breaches are not repeated in the future.
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