by ‘Jola Sotubo

Three suspected criminals were yesterday arrested by men of the Ebonyi State Police Command for allegedly perpetrating crimes of robbery and rape. One of the suspects was identified as a deputy chairman of a Local Government Area in the state.

The development was revealed yesterday to newsmen in Abakaliki, the state capital, by the Command’s Public Relations Officer, Sylvester Igbo.

According to reports, Igbo said one Margret Elom had on August 3 reported a case of robbery and rape at the Nnoyo Police Division in Ikwo Local Government Area.

According to him, the three suspects ambushed Elom and her two daughters on the road and robbed them of N50,000 and a motorcycle, while the girls were raped on gun point.

He said that one of the suspects made a confessional statement that led to the arrest of the vice chairman.

According to the PPRO, the suspects, who admitted committing the crime, told the police that they only carried out the instruction of the vice chairman.

Igbo said that the suspects in their statements alleged that they were asked by the council official to retrieve a carter motorcycle and counsellorship certificate of return of the Peoples Democratic Party issued to the victim.

Igbo said: “Our men first arrested two of the suspects and one of them made a confessional statement in the course of interrogation, leading to the arrest of the vice chairman.

“Although he has denied any involvement in the alleged crime, our men are intensifying investigation to establish his involvement in the alleged criminal act.

“Remember that this is just an allegation and it is the duty of the police to find out the truth about the allegation through the defense of the suspects.

[READ: Terrible: Woman attacked, 2 daughters raped by hoodlums in Ebonyi]

“The only way the police can do this is through thorough investigation and I assure you that our men will get to the root of it.”

The PPRO gave the assurance that the police would conduct thorough and unhindered investigation into the matter to ascertain the involvement of the suspects.

He said the vice chairman would be arraigned in court if it was proved that he was involved in the alleged act.

He said: “The law is no respecter of persons.

“As soon as our men conclude investigation into the matter and he is linked to the crime, we will arraign him for trial.

“But if on the contrary, he is found to be innocent of the allegation, we will let him off the hook.

“What I am saying is that the police will do their work to the satisfaction of all the parties concerned.”