An Ogun State resident, Adejare Olasunkanmi, has accused a police prosecutor, ASP Matthew Famuyiwa, of allegedly accepting a bribe and removing key evidence from a criminal case file to weaken the prosecution of suspects standing trial over an alleged violent attack against him.
Olasunkanmi alleged that the prosecutor collaborated with the defence counsel to frustrate the case by removing 18 vital exhibits from the court file before the matter was concluded at the Magistrate’s Court in Isabo, Abeokuta.
According to him, the missing exhibits included crime scene photographs, medical reports, hospital records, treatment receipts, photographs of his injuries, recovered weapons, and bank statements which he claimed were intended to support the prosecution’s case.
He also alleged that one of the bank statements showed a ₦50,000 transfer made to his account by the suspects as an admission of guilt, while another reflected a similar payment he claimed to have rejected after the defendants were arraigned.
Olasunkanmi further accused the Ogun State Police Command of failing to investigate an earlier petition he submitted against the prosecutor despite directives from the office of the Assistant Inspector-General of Police in charge of Zone 2.
He said he initially petitioned the police authorities in January 2025, accusing the prosecutor of criminal conspiracy, breach of trust, abuse of office and professional misconduct.
According to him, although he was informed that the petition had been forwarded for investigation, no action was taken, prompting him to submit another complaint.
He maintained that the investigating police officer documented the crime scene after the alleged attack in February 2023, obtained medical reports from the General Hospital in Abeokuta and included all relevant documents in the original case file before the defendants were charged.
Olasunkanmi claimed the disappearance of the exhibits significantly weakened the prosecution’s case during trial.
He also alleged that the defence counsel repeatedly attempted to persuade him to settle the matter out of court through financial compensation, but he rejected the offers, insisting that justice should take its course.
According to him, the police prosecutor later accepted inducements from the defendants and compromised the prosecution.
The complainant argued that the court’s judgment delivered in December 2024 repeatedly noted that photographs, medical reports and other documentary evidence were not tendered during the trial, which he believes supports his allegation that the exhibits were removed from the case file.
He added that he also petitioned the Chief Judge of Ogun State over the matter but was advised to direct his complaint to the appropriate police authorities.
Olasunkanmi called on the Assistant Inspector-General of Police overseeing Zone 2 Command to order a comprehensive investigation into the alleged disappearance of the exhibits and prosecute anyone found culpable.
Court records show that the prosecution called two witnesses during the trial, including the investigating police officer and Olasunkanmi himself.
The complainant alleged that he was attacked after being accused of stealing sand, sustaining serious injuries while his residence was allegedly looted and valuables stolen.
The defendants denied all allegations, insisting the dispute arose from a disagreement over sand and maintaining that no assault, theft or property damage occurred. They admitted offering ₦50,000 in an attempt to settle the dispute but denied any criminal wrongdoing.
In its judgment, the court ruled that the prosecution failed to prove the charges beyond reasonable doubt.
The magistrate noted that there was no credible evidence linking the defendants to the alleged theft and observed that no medical reports, police medical forms or photographs were tendered to establish the assault allegations.
The court also found insufficient evidence to support the charges of unlawful damage and conspiracy, leading to the discharge and acquittal of the three defendants.
Despite the verdict, Olasunkanmi insists the judgment itself reinforces his claim that crucial documentary evidence disappeared before the trial was concluded and has again appealed to the police authorities to investigate the circumstances surrounding the missing exhibits.
The allegations against the police prosecutor have not been independently verified, and no official response from the Nigeria Police Force or the individuals named in the allegations was available at the time of reporting.
