A police corporal attached to the Edo State Police Command has been arrested by the command for killing two women during a funeral at Ivhiokhile quarters, Fugar in Etsako Central Local Government Area.
Punch reports that the incident occurred on Saturday, June 27, 2015 when the unidentified policeman’s gun allegedly went off while trying to usher his principal, a traditional ruler, into a vehicle.
He was said to have held the gun on one hand while trying to open the door of the vehicle on the other while they were about to leave the venue.
One of the victims of the shooting, Sandra Imhaku was hit on the neck where she was seated among guests at the ceremony by the stray bullet which had barely missed hitting the two month old baby strapped to her back.
According to a source at the scene, Imhaku was rushed to the Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital (ISTH), Irrua where she later died on Sunday, June 29, 2015.
The other victim who was hit by another bullet, identified as Mrs. Salisu, was reported to have died instantly.
The incident caused a lot of confusion as irate youths proceeded to pounce on policemen at the scene who in turn fled for their lives.
All efforts to get the identity of the police officer, as at the time of filing this reports were unsuccessful as the Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Stephen Onwochei refused to disclose his identity.
Reports however said that the police corporal has been arrested on the day of the incident.
While confirming the arrest, Samuel Adegbuyi, the state Commissioner of Police said that it was a case of accidental discharge and that the incident claimed the lives of two women and was brought to his notice on Saturday, June 27, 2015.
He also claimed that the officer would be arraigned in court after investigations by the police have been concluded.
“The officer has been arrested and investigation has commenced and very soon, on completion of the investigation, he will be arraigned in court,” Adegbuyi said.
