Corporal Mathias Umameh, a police officer caught on video assaulting a passenger in a Big Joe Transport bus on Kogi State’s Adogo/Okene highway, has been demoted.
On October 16, 2021, Umameh was caught on video assaulting a passenger on the highway.
He was part of a police team on stop and search duty on the highway led by Asp Barnabas of the Kogi State Police Command’s Adogo Division.
The police team is led by Asp Barnabas Isah and includes Insp Ifediegwu Godwin and Sgt Emmanuel Ochima.
Following the outrage generated by the video after it went viral, Umameh and members of the team were arrested and handed over to the X Squad, FCID for thorough investigation and necessary sanctions.
Force spokesperson, Muyiwa Adejobi said in a statement on Friday that Umameh was found guilty of the offences of unlawful or unnecessary exercise of authority and uncleanliness and was reduced in rank.
“The officer was issued a query for Lack of supervision while the inspector and rank and files were defaulted and tried for offences of Disobedience to lawful order, Discreditable conduct, unlawful or unnecessary exercise of authority and corrupt practice.
“While AP/No 285845 Inspr Ifediegwu Godwin and F/no 508704 Sgt Emmanuel Ochima were used as prosecution witnesses against Umameh, and they were later warned,” Adejobi said.