Nigerian Killer-cop will be dismissed posthumously- Owoseni

•Owoseni

The late Sergeant Stephen James, who shot himself after killing three men in Lagos last Saturday will be dismissed posthumously, police chief Fatai Owoseni said yesterday.

The late James, Owoseni said, would be tried posthumously and dismissed.

“We will try him even in death and dismiss him for his action. We want to use this medium to sympathise with the bereaved families. We apologise for the irrational action of the policeman, who also took his own life,” Owoseni said.

He added that the late James could no longer remain in the police after his callous behaviour.

James killed three men, including two siblings, in Ketu, Lagos for asking him to behave well at a bar.

The late Taiwo and Kehinde Oyesunle (the only children of their mother) and their friend identified as Jeje, were said to have admonished the late officer, who entered the premises of Paulson Hotel on Anibaba Street, and harassed customers to buy him drinks.

James, with force number 217884 attached to MOPOL 22, Oduduwa, GRA, Ikeja, was said to have threatened to shoot if anyone dared him.

An eyewitness said the policeman ambushed and killed the three men, as they stepped outside the hotel premises where they had gone to celebrate Jeje’s birthday.

It was gathered that when he realised the implications of his action, the policeman shot himself on the chest.

In the ensuing confusion, passersby and residents scampered to safety.

An angry mob, The Nation gathered, attempted to burn the hotel and the policeman’s body but for the swift intervention of police officers from Ketu division.

The mob was said to have thrown bottles and stones at the hotel, prompting lodgers to flee their rooms.

A guest at the hotel, who witnessed the killings, said that the policeman had boasted about wanting to kill people hours before the incident happened.

The customer, who identified himself simply as Femi, said all efforts to pacify the policeman proved abortive as he kept fomenting trouble harassing visitors with  his gun all afternoon.

thenation