Bolanle: Alleged trigger-happy cop remanded

A Yaba Chief Magistrates’ Court on Friday remanded a policeman, ASP Drambi Vandi, who allegedly shot and killed a Lagos-based female lawyer, Mrs Bolanle Raheem, on Christmas Day.

It was reported that the Chief Magistrate, Mrs C.A. Adedayo, ordered that the suspect should be kept at the Ikoyi Correctional Centre pending advice of the state Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).

She held that the remand order was for the first 30 days pending police investigation into the case.

She ordered that the case file be duplicated and sent to the DPP for the advice.

Adedayo adjourned the case until Jan. 30, for the review of the remand order and the DPP’s advice.

Lagos State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr Moyosore Onigbanjo (SAN), had appeared briefly before the court and applied that Vandi be remanded.

The commissioner prayed the court to remand the suspect pending the DPP’s advice.

Onigbanjo applied for the remand pursuant to Section 264 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Law of Lagos State, 2015.

He submitted that the basis for the remand was to allow the police to conclude investigation into the matter.

Attached to the remand application was a count charge of murder.

It stated: “That you, ASP Drambi Vandi, on Dec. 25, 2022 at Ajah Road, along the Lekki Expressway, Lagos, unlawfully killed one Omobolanle Raheem, by shooting the deceased in the chest, contrary to Section 223 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.″

The charge was signed by the DPP, Dr Babajide Martins.

It was reported that Raheem was reportedly shot dead in Lagos on Dec. 25, while on Christmas outing with her family.

Vandi was attached to the Ajiwe Police Division in Ajah, Lagos State, as at the time of the alleged murder.