Lukman Olabiyi

A prosecution witness, Mr Steven  Aji  in the on going trial of a dismissed Policeman, Corporal Pepple Boma, who allegedly  shot dead  a resident at Makoko Waterfront, Timothy  Hunpoyanwa, yesterday told the Lagos State High Court, Igbosere, that the deceased was shot in the stomach.

The incident occurred on July 21, 2013, at about 1:20pm, at Makoko, Yaba area of the state .

Aji who is also the community head, said before the incident, the community got a 24 hours notice from the state government to vacate the settlement.

Aji was led in evidence by the state Prosecutor, Mr Hafeez Owokoniran, before Justice Modupe Nicole-Clay

Aji  told the court that after the community  received the notice, he and his chiefs went to see their lawyer, who advised them not to fight with the state government officials, but  should plead  for more time to enable them move to another settlement.

He said on fateful  day ,the government officials and the  police officers attached to them started destroying their houses and in the process some little children fell into the Lagoon, adding that when they made attempt to rescue the children, they were beaten with horsewhip.

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Aji said: “They came with different equipment  which include electric saw blade to destroy our community, as they were cutting  down the plank houses on the Lagoon, our belongs and little children fell into the lagoon.We ran to rescue our children, but they beat us with horsewhips.

“I saw eight policemen who were shooting sporadically and were also beating the people  that were trying to rescue the children. I saw four policemen each on both side of the Lagoon with flying boats, but I  told my chiefs and subjects not to fight with the government officials.

“While  were trying to pacify the officials to give us  more time, to enable us  leave the waterfront, I still saw the defendant shot the deceased, Hunpoyanwa, in the stomach. The deceased started shouting Baale my stomach, my stomach, then I saw the deceased in the pool of his blood in the canoe, the other three policemen who were with the defendant, started blaming him that they had warned him to stop shooting

“Hunpoyanwa, was  my second in command and i was praying that he would survive the gun shot, but when we arrived Gbagada General  Hospital where the police and some of my subjects  rushed the victim to, the  doctor on duty confirmed him dead.”

Earlier, the deceased’s  brother, Francis Hunpoyanwa, who was the first prosecution witness, told the court that he was at home when he heard that his elder brother was shot.

The state government had sometimes in 2013, arraigned the defendant, Boma, over alleged manslaughter.