Posted by By JULIANA FRANCIS on
A man who went to the zonal police headquarters in Onikan, Lagos to complain about how he was duped of a million naira has become a suspect.
A man who went to the zonal police headquarters in Onikan, Lagos to complain about how he was duped of a million naira has become a suspect.
Still reeling from the shock of the incident, Mr. Remi Olowookere, said he couldn't understand how he had mysteriously become a prime suspect when he was the person duped and given a dud cheque by his one-time friend, Mr. Ayodele Pariola.
Angry Olowookere insisted that his not having collected the money, for almost two years now, was the fault of the police.
He alleged that the police at Zone Two were not really investigating the matter but were allegedly tilting the case in favour of any party that greased their palms.
In a letter addressed to the AIG Zone II, dated April 26, 2004, Olowookere said: "Ayodele Pariola claimed to have spent over N100,000 for the police hence he was not detained. This also led to the delay and also to the threat letters and other unpleasant actions planned to stop me from fighting for my right."
He claimed that when the case started in 2003 and Pariola had allegedly bragged of having the police in the palm of his hands, he didn't believe him but unfolding drama at Zone Two made him to ask if he had not be mistaken.
According to Olowookere, his trouble started December 2003, when he had loaned Pariola one million naira with agreement that he should pay it back with interest because of the bank. It was a deal that put a smile on the faces of both men, but the smile had long since been wiped off as the friendly relationship went sour.
Olowookere claimed Pariola did not want to keep to the term of the contract. The borrower had allegedly given him a bounced cheque. Pariola, on the other hand, claimed Olowookere was making mountains out of a molehill. He said he did not owe the man. Pariola added: "He is in fact the person owing me. He has my bus and other money. By the time he sells my bus, he would still have to balance me some money."
Olowookere said the term of the agreement was for Pariola to pay him the money with 10 percent but the borrower had breached the contract. He claimed that on taking Pariola to the cops at Zone Two, they had allowed him to walk out a free man after few hours. Instead he had become a suspect himself, as few days later he was invited to the station and accused of threatening the life of Pariola. He denied the accusation, insisting that Pariola had used the money to set up a printing press.
Calling on the Inspector General of Police to sanitise Zone Two, because of what he called "perversion of justice" in the place, Olowookere revealed that it was the DC Zonal CID, Mr. Omojola who kept him from being thrown in cell.
Olowookere said after he discovered what Pariola had done with the money, he had hinted the police that felt the printing machines should be confiscated, but his men felt differently.
Clearly not satisfied with the Investigation going on, Olowookere had taken measures to seek justice from the Inspector General of police. He said: "I had further petitioned the IGP through Kam Salem House, but nothing was done about it, despite the fact that Taiwo Lakanu, the PSO to the IG, expressed dissatisfaction at the way the case was being handled."