A Philantropist, Chief Joseph Ologbo, has lauded the judiciary for granting him bail following an allegation of being the financier of Aro Bagger cult group.
Ologbo in a press release issued in Abuja, said he looks forward to the case trusting that the judiciary which is the last resort would once again deliver justice in the case.
Ologbo who lamented, the inhuman manner in which he was treated by the Nigerian police, denied any involvement with the dreaded cult, saying that he is innocent of all accusations leveled against him by the Delta state Police Command.
According to reports, the Command’s spokesman, DSP Bright Edafe, said that the accusation was sequel to the cult clashes in Sapele, Oghara and other parts of the state.
But, reacting to this development, the alleged financier of the cult, in a statement, obtained by Blueprint correspondent, during the weekend, denied any involvement with the dreaded cult.
Ologbo described his arrest as unfortunate, adding that the situation was a ploy to smear his reputation.
While debunking some of the accusations against him, he narrated that he had recently flown into the country to see his family when he was arrested at a hotel.
He explained further that he does not belong to Any cult group, adding that the only club he identifies with is Norsemen.
He said: “On the first of January 2023 I came into Nigeria and got to SAPELE on the 10th of the same month. I was in Asaba from 19th to 22nd for Lions Convention, came back to SAPELE 22nd of same month
“On the 23rd of January 2023 I was at The Stone Hotel to buy food when I was arrested that night I was beaten like a criminal from the hotel in the car they put me the policemen were hitting me with gun and keep asking me where is the AK I told them I don’t have any AK and that I only have a pump action (Which is registered) they took me to my house sat me down on the floor outside my compound in front of my wife and my daughter and beat me mercilessly.
“They turned my house up side down up till now my wife has not been able to arrange the house,they recovered Norsemen materials like pictures of me in our regalia, Norsemen constitution, magazines, cap , lions jacket, they also took four of my kids tablets, three laptops one for me one for my wife and one for my foundation, my personal Apple tablet 2022 edition, my land papers 3 of my house papers, my passport and that of my wife (which we’ve been able to recover by my lawyer).
“They also recovered two of my vehicles a Mercedes Benz GLE 450 and a tundra truck in my tundra truck I have five watches four Invicta and one Vas in the process of beating me up I don’t know if it is one of the police men that cut my Cuban chain or it just got missing in the process.
“They also took me to the apartment were I use to stay when I am not home and they did a search and found nothing too in that apartment they almost killed me, police and Army lock me in one of the rooms after the 2IC Ordered them to beat me until I tell them were the AK is
“The next day I could not walk so they had to take me to the police hospital there in SAPELE station where I got treatment.
“When they took my statement I maintained that I am a Norseman but I was beaten already and when the SACU commander came in the interrogation room it ask them to get him his gun that he is going to shoot my leg if I don’t agree that Norsemen are Vikings almost at the end of my statement they force me to say that.
“I was transferred to Asaba. They used my Tundra to transport other suspects to Asaba. For almost a week they said nothing. I was just locked up when I got sick and fainted repeatedly . Thankfully, a Commander told them to bring me out of the cell every morning and take me back to cell late at night, so they were bringing me out to the office were they do interrogation in Asaba every morning and back to cell at night I think the hospital told them I am a BP patient and I need air.
“While in custody I could see my Tundra vehicle was being used for operations, The 2IC even asked me if my vehicle can go a long distance. While my wife and friends where trying to secure my bail, The CP confided in us that his hands are tied.
“Upon this information I sent my friend to the chairman local government area SAPELE who the CP said was behind my continued detention. While in the meeting, the Local government Chairman was quoted to have said that I’m not afraid to be going after his girlfriend, that I think I can just come from America and take his girlfriend, I had no idea what that meant and was shocked at the extent political leaders are willing to go for something so inconsequential.
“All this they did to me has dented my reputation. I am a Chief in my Village and I have a lot of people that look up to me. I was insulted, embarrassed, abused, oppressed and intimidated.”
