The Police Command in Oyo State, on Thursday, said the report of its investigation into the death of Kehinde Alade, 14, would be out soon.
Alade was accidentally shot by a policeman on Wednesday in the Alakia area of Ibadan when being conveyed to school by his father, Mr Odunayo Alade.
Addressing a news conference in Ibadan, the Commissioner of Police in Oyo State, Johnson Adenola stated this while commiserating with the family of the deceased.
Adenola disclosed that the investigation was almost completed and assured that justice would be done.
He said that the officer who shot the lad to death was in police custody and his statement had been obtained.
According to him, an interim report on the matter is ready, but the statement of Kehinde’s father had not been obtained to conclude the investigation.
The Commissioner of Police said that it was important to get the statement of the deceased father for a comprehensive investigation into the incident.
“It is a monumental and regrettable loss and we feel for the family. We will give the father an opportunity for him to provide his defence.
He is the only factor delaying the completion of the investigation.
“We have also gotten the statement of an eyewitness who was inside the car with him (father), and I assure you that justice will be done on the matter,” he said.
Adenola said that the Inspector-General of Police, Dr Kayode Egbetokun, had directed that a thorough investigation should be conducted “and I assure that nothing would be left undone to ensure justice.”
Also speaking, the Oyo State Commissioner for Information, Prince Dotun Oyelade, said that there exists collaboration between the Oyo State Government and the Police Command in the state.
Oyelade assured the public that the police officer responsible for the death of the deceased would be brought to justice.
He said that the Oyo State Government, led by Gov. Seyi Makinde, stood for justice and would do everything possible to ensure justice was done on the death of the 14-year-old boy.
Also, the Executive Chairman of OYRTMA retired Maj. Adesagba Adekoya said that the death of Kehinde was highly regrettable and shared the pains of the family.
Adekoya said that Oyo State Traffic Management Authority required the partnership of the Police in the enforcement of traffic law in the state due to reckless drivers on the road.
He said that the partnership had not just started, citing an incident when a road traffic offender brought out a gun to attack his personnel, and the backup of the police was quickly sought to bring the situation under control.
“This year alone about eight of our personnel have been assaulted with serious injuries.
“People are always very aggressive to our personnel. They like to disobey the traffic law and this is why we require security backup in our activities,” he said.
Adekoya, who sympathised with the father of the deceased, further described him as a serial offender, noting that he was earlier arrested on May 14 for not parking in a designated park and fined N15,000
It would be recalled that the deceased was accidentally shot to death on Tuesday around the Alakia area of Ibadan during a joint traffic enforcement operation by the Authority and Police.
