Two suspected armed robbers have been reportedly shot dead by the police while trying to escape from interrogation after an alleged robbery incident at the Bishops’ Court, St James’ Cathedral, Igarra, Akoko-Edo Local Government Council of Edo State.
A third suspect who was said to have been the informant that led to the robbery is said to be in police custody for further interrogation.
The main suspect (names withheld) is a close confidant of the Bishops’ Court and had been an adopted son of the bishop, Rt Rev Jolly Oyekpen and his family.
He was said to have informed his other two accomplices – one of whom is said to be from Delta State but engaged in farming in neighbouring Owan, while the other is said to be from Jattu in Etsako West local government council – of the church services’ money of the sum of N954,000 yet to be deposited in the bank in the Bishop’s Court.
They were said to have stormed the premises in the early hours of last Thursday and carted away the money and some other valuables like mobile phones.
However, police detectives zeroed their findings to the suspect who was said to have been arrested and, after interrogation, owned up to committing the crime by giving information about the money to his dead friends.
The two dead suspects were said to have met their waterloo in nearby Ikpesi where the police was said to have, through the principal suspect, called on the two to “come for another deal of N2 million”
On arrival, they were said to have sensed danger and wanted to escape but the police opened fire on them. One was said to have died on the spot while the other died later.
It was gathered that the principal suspect’s share of the loot was N300,000 and was said to have spent N20,000 out of the amount before he was arrested. He was said to have also been planning his marriage which date has already been fixed for later in the year.
