A 47-year-old suspect, identified as Godson Tender James, has been paraded by the Ondo Police Command, for allegedly killing an Assistant Superintendent of Police, ASP, in a hit-and-run incident.
The incident occurred at a checkpoint located in Ifon area of Ose Local Government Area.
According to the police command in the state, the suspect is not only responsible for the fatal accident, but also a serial fraudster.
Prior to the incident, he was alleged to have defrauded a businesswoman of N4.4 million in Akure, the state capital, and was attempting to escape from the state.
Upon his arrest, the suspect claimed that he struck the policeman at the checkpoint under the mistaken belief that the officer was one of the notorious kidnappers that have been plaguing motorists along the Owo-Akure highway.
“All of a sudden, as I was going, I saw some people wearing police uniforms, with one of them bending over on the road. As I tried to maneuver, I heard a gunshot hit my car from the front.
“Believing the police cannot just shoot at me, I believe they were robbers and maneuvered to come out at another location. That was when I hit one of them. I was trying to save my own life when I hit the person.”
According to the Police Public Relations Officer in the state, PPRO, Funmi Odunlami, the suspect had defrauded several individuals and was attempting to flee the state.
Odunlami added that during the attempt to apprehend the suspect, he struck a police officer, resulting in the tragic death of the officer.
