The three suspects, who killed a naval officer, Sub. Lt. Samuel Akingbohun, in Idoani, Ose Local Government Area of Ondo State, on Thursday, narrated how they carried out the crime.
According to the suspects, Ayomide Sambo, 20, Johnson Adeleke, 20, and Francis Shagari, 17, who were paraded at the police headquarters, Akure, the state capital, they used an iron rod to hit the officer on his head and scrotum, during a fisticuffs.
One of the suspects, Ayomide, stated that the deceased naval officer had slapped and headbutted his friend, Johnson Adeleke, while trying to claim the right of way.
Sambo, disclosed that he and Johnson as well as their third friend, Francis Shagari, became infuriated and decided to trail the naval officer to a junction in the community, where they attacked him with the iron rod.
The suspect added that after committing the crime, they tried to escape from the community before they were arrested.
“When we came across the naval officer, we were en route to get a power bank. He was coming from the opposite direction, and the area from where he was coming was not good. My companion shoved the officer while we were both trying to move in the good path of the road that was bad.
“The naval officer headbutted him and slapped him out of annoyance. We started pleading with the naval officer. My friend claimed that the naval officer was a fake military guy after he had left.
“We then took a bike, followed him to the intersection, and confronted him. My friend and the naval officer got into an argument. I picked an iron rod during that time and started hitting him with it.”
The other suspect, Johnson Adeleke, who denied involvement in the beating and killing of the officer, said, “When I was on my way to remove my power bank, I mistakenly hit my elbow on the navy office. He slapped me and gave me a headbutt. At that moment, we didn’t know that he was a naval officer.
“I was already out of Idoani in a bid to escape when my mother’s elder brother called me to report to the station.”
Also, the third suspect, Shagari Francis, stated that, “I didn’t hit the naval officer, I was just following them. I was arrested when my mother took me to the station to ask if I was part of them.”
