The Federal Capital Territory Police Command may set free three male suspected thieves currently held in custody for lack of complaint against them, over an alleged attempt to lure and defraud a female Point-of-Sale attendant around Peace Court Estate, along Lokogoma road, Abuja.
The PUNCH reports that the police had rescued the three men, one Francis Noah, Wua Ikyer, and Bokos Terkula, from being lynched by a mob in August.
Our correspondent, however, gathered that about a month after the incident, there had not been an official complaint to the police as regards the incident.
An impeccable source confirmed to our correspondent that the police would soon free the suspects, who are currently in custody, as there was no official complaint against them, and no one has showed up to press charges, adding that it was illegal to keep them detained.
When contacted by our correspondent, the FCT police spokesperson, Josephine Adeh, stated that though she couldn’t confirm the information regarding their expected release, it would be illegal to continue keeping the suspects in custody when no one had pressed charges against them.
She said, “I can’t confirm the report of the suspects getting released soon, however, upon the conclusion of our investigation, it will be illegal to keep them in custody without charges being pressed against them by any person.
“We urge the alleged victim, anyone who witnessed the event, or knows the alleged victim, to come forward to fulfill their civic obligation of helping the police in securing prosecution and possible conviction.”
However, the FCT Commissioner of Police, Sunday Babaji, had in August warned residents of the FCT to shun jungle justice, describing the act as barbaric.
He further warned that act of jungle justice was criminal and punishable by law, as he reiterated the commitment of the Command to the safety and security of residents across the FCT.
Babaji gave the advisory on Wednesday following the rescue of the three alleged fraudsters from angry mob in Abuja. He noted that preliminary investigations carried out by the police revealed that the mob descended on the trio of Noah, Ikyer, and Terkula.
He emphasised the importance of allowing the course of justice irrespective of the crime committed by a suspect, adding that a full-scale investigation would be carried to establish the fact of the case.
