Fake police woman, 58, docked for impersonation

NAN

A 58-year-old woman, Adetolani Afoke, who allegedly wore the uniform of a Deputy Superintendent of Police,(DSP) with an intent to impersonate, was on Tuesday arraigned in Lagos.

The accused,  is facing a three-count charge bordering on impersonation and possession of stolen property before an Ikeja Chief Magistrates' Court.

The prosecutor, Insp. Simon Imhonwa, told the court that the accused committed the offences on Nov. 25 at the Bolade-Oshodi axis of the Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway, Lagos.

He said the accused was arrested by members of a police patrol team that had stopped the Volkswagen commercial bus loaded with building materials that she chaperoned.
The prosecutor told the court that the accused had accompanied the bus- driver under the guise of being a senior police officer.

In his words, “Afoke wore the complete uniform of a DSP and also had in her possession a forged identity card.
``My lord, there is no record of the accused as ever being enlisted as a member of the Nigeria Police, " Imhonwa said.

Insp. Imhonwa reiterated further   that investigations revealed that the accused was once a traffic warden attached to Area C Command, Surulere, Lagos State, but had since deserted her job.
``Afoke was a traffic warden, who is now a deserter, but wears a police uniform with the intent to deceive innocent citizens that she has authority to act in such a capacity", Imhonwa said

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The offences contravened Sections 77, 78 and 328 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011, the prosecutor said.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Sections 77 and 78 prescribe three years’ imprisonment for an offender while Section 328 stipulates a seven-year imprisonment for an offender.

In her ruling, the Magistrate, Mrs Bola Osunsanmi, granted the accused bail in the sum of N50,000 with two sureties in like sum and adjourned the case to Feb. 18 for trial.