SaharaReporters had reported how some policemen extorted N525,000 from the trio on their way to Oyo state from Akure, Ondo state.
The Osun State Police Command has begun the trial of its men who extorted N525,000 from three young men, Toheeb Babalola, Jamiu Olajide and Taiwo Olamilekan, SaharaReporters has gathered.
The police authorities have also returned the money to the victims.
SaharaReporters had reported how some policemen extorted N525,000 from the trio on their way to Oyo state from Akure, Ondo state.
They added that they were treated like criminals and forced to use a Point of Sale machine (POS) to transfer money from a GT Bank account belonging to one of them with account number: 0594722075 to a First Bank account owned by TEAMAPT LIMITED whose business address is 12, Wole Ariyo Street, Lekki Phase 1, Lagos.
One of them had said, “While travelling from Ibadan to Akure at about 1:30pm, at Osogbo Junction, we were intercepted by six police officers wearing jackets with POLICE RESPONSE UNIT (PRU) inscriptions. They checked our papers and found everything complete.[story_link align="left"]94588[/story_link]
“They equally checked our phones and found nothing incriminating, but insisted they would take us to the State Command, Osogbo. They threatened to shoot us when we demanded to know our offence or the reasons for our arrest. At the Criminal Investigation Department, Osogbo, we were threatened to hand over our ATM cards to them.
“They thereafter took us to Okefia in Osogbo where they transferred the whole funds –five hundred and twenty five thousand naira (N525,000.00) found in the bank account of one of us. They locked us up in the cell for some time before they took us to POS at Okefia.
“They put us in one room that looks like a toilet; they asked two of us to face the wall but my friend who owns the car was with them before they asked us to write statements. There was a lady with us whom they asked to stay outside.
“They said we are internet fraudsters, yet they checked our phones and found nothing. Assuming we are internet fraudsters as alleged, is taking our money the solution? I thought they were supposed to charge us to court. Before we gave them N525, 000 under duress, they first said we should give them N1 million.
“This is the account from which they transferred our money 0594722075 Babatola Toheeb, GTbank through a first bank POS at Okefia. We attach the printout evidencing the transfer.”
Following the story, SaharaReporters gathered that the state Commissioner of Police, Olawale Olokode, ordered the immediate arrest of the officers involved.
They were also subjected to an orderly room trial on charges of corrupt practices, discreditable conduct and disobedience to a lawful order, a source said.
Speaking to SaharaReporters on Monday, Tolu Babaleye, the victims’ lawyer said the police made the refund on Saturday.
Babaleye also thanked the state police commissioner for his prompt response to the incident.