Mob kills Keke rider wrongly accused of stealing phone, throws body in lagoon

In a case of jungle justice taken too far, Olamide Omolede, a 22-year-old man, was Monday evening, killed by hoodlums in Badore, Ajah, Lagos, after he was wrongly accused of stealing a mobile phone.

It was gathered that following days of epileptic power supply in the community, Mr Omolede, a tricycle rider, went to a nearby store to charge his handset for a fee.

Afterwards, he left the store for his house. However, after some minutes, a woman whose name had not been provided at press time, arrived Mr. Omolede’s house with some hoodlums, alleging he stole her phone from the charging point.

The hoodlums mauled him to death and threw his body into the lagoon.

A witness, Tunde Afolabi, disclosed that the deceased was first paraded half-naked to Iyalaye Store, where the alleged theft occurred.

Afolabi said: “After he eventually died, the thugs threw him into the lagoon. But we, concerned people of the community, paid Egun people to help trace the corpse after we heard the incident.

“The corpse was brought out of the river this morning (yesterday).”

He said the phone, which was reported stolen, was later found with the son of the woman who had accused Mr. Omolede of stealing it.

Victim’s father’s speaksl

Francis Omolede, the victim’s father, said: “I was called on Monday by my daughter, who informed me that her brother was accused of stealing a phone.

“After the thugs brought by the woman, who accused him of stealing, eventually killed him, they threw him into the river to avoid traces.

“It was afterwards that the phone was found with the son of the woman, who wrongly accused my son. The Police have arrested the woman and some of the thugs who perpetrated the act.”

Also, the traditional head of the community, identified as Baale Jikoji, said the matter would be properly handled.

“We have met and we will definitely address the matter,” he promised.

Police react

The Police officer in charge of the matter, who simply identified himself as Inspector Sunday, disclosed that proper investigation would be carried out.

He said: “We have arrested the woman that accused the victim and some thugs that carried out the act. Some of them are still at large, but we will definitely arrest and carry out a proper investigation.”

Meanwhile, following Omolede’s death, tricycle riders on Badore-Ajah Road blocked the major road to express their anger over the incident.

… faulty phone in Osogbo

In a related development, tragedy struck at Isale-Osun area of Osogbo, Osun State, as a thug reportedly shot a young man, Monsuru Lawal, for allegedly selling a malfunctioning phone to a lady.

It was gathered that the deceased sold a second-hand phone to a lady, who reported the matter to the thug, so he will help her retrieve her money.

When they arrived at Isale-Osun area where the deceased was relaxing, the issue resorted to an altercation.

The lady was to have insisted on getting back her money, while the deceased said he could only afford to repair the phone, which did not go down well with the young lady.

An eyewitness said it was during the argument that the thug, who went with the lady, brought out a gun and shot the deceased.

Contacted, Osun State Police Command confirmed the incident, saying the issue is still under investigation.

State Police Public Relations Officer, SP Folashade Odoro, said Lawal’s corpse has been deposited at the morgue of Ladoke Akintola University Teaching Hospital, Osogbo, adding that no arrest has been made..