Bolanle Raheem: My wife and I had an “intimate moment” before her death

Gbenga Raheem has testified in the Drambi Vandi murder trial, the police officer accused of killing his pregnant wife, Bolanle Raheem.

Mr. Raheem on Thursday at the Lagos high court in the state’s TBS area said that a few hours before his death, he had an “intimate moment” and a “light breakfast.”

Mr. Raheem was the third prosecution witness in the murder trial.

Lawyers in Lagos are was shot dead on Christmas Day allegedly by Mr. Vandi, an assistant superintendent of police attached to the Ajiwe Police Station in Ajah, Lagos State.

“intimate moment”

Recalling what happened on the day of the incident, Mr. Raheem said his pregnant wife and other family members woke up to receive a surprise gift from him.

“On December 25, 2022, the whole family woke up for a surprise gift. I gave them all gifts because I had gone out the day before to ask for a gift,” he said.

“The children wake up with gifts under their pillows. For my wife, I wrap a set of jewelry and put it next to her. So she wakes up in the morning and she is happy.

“Even though she’s pregnant, we have an intimate moment in the morning because she’s so happy. After that, we have a light breakfast in the morning with the kids.”

The witness said he took the family to a nearby church in the area because his own church in Ikoyi was holding a program – “Let’s Go Fishing” – at the Teslim Balogun Stadium in Surulere, which is not far from Ajah’s home.

She said she drove the family to church in her new car – a Toyota Venza, given to her husband by a property developer, two days before she died, “because she met her goals. She was a very hardworking woman.

Speaking further, he said himself, his wife, his daughter, his wife’s sister and four children were family members who were in Ajah’s house as at the time of the incident.

“After we finished breakfast, we went to the church near the new car that he gave us on the Friday before Christmas on Sunday,” he said.

In the shooting

The deceased’s husband told me that after the service, his wife decided to have every member of the family out for a Christmas party.

He said he went to the supermarket and Dominos Pizza to get pizza, ice cream, yogurt and other things to eat.

He added that after he finished eating the things he bought, he drove his car to Ajah bridge to make a U-turn to Abraham Adesanya axis.

She said that while she was there, several police officers asked her to stop and as she was about to park, she heard a “loud noise” from the side of the car where her husband was sitting.

“An officer on my left asked me to park. When he told me to park. I just heard a loud noise from the side of my wife’s car,” he said.

“The car window was broken and I saw blood on my wife’s chest.”

He said he quickly parked the car after seeing blood coming from his wife’s chest, adding that he and his wife’s sister rushed out of the car.

The deceased’s wife added that the accused pointed the gun at the deceased’s sister and threatened to shoot her after she was challenged.

“I was very upset and ran towards the officer (referring to Mr. Vandi). My sister who was in the car with the children also ran back to meet the officer,” he said.

“He raised his gun to Titi (referring to the deceased’s sister) when he caught him. I was very careful not to shoot him again.

Mr. Raheem said a boy came to the scene and asked him to use his car to block the road and prevent the officer from fleeing.

He added that the sister of the deceased dragged the accused to the car to see how he shot his sister.

“At this time, Titi grabbed the officer and started saying ‘you have killed my sister’. He dragged her to the front seat where my husband was sitting. At this point he still remembers,” he said.

“That’s why I got into the car and ran away. I had forgotten Titi didn’t get in the car. At this time, the officer was sitting in the front seat with my husband when he went to the first hospital (Budo Hospital).

He said when he got to the hospital on the Lekki-Epe Expressway, he was told that the hospital could not handle the case.

He added that a worker at Budo Hospital requested that the deceased be taken to Doreen Hospital for treatment.

The second hospital

Recounting his experience at Doreen Hospital, he said he cried and begged the doctor on duty to save his pregnant wife.

He told the court that his wife was put on oxygen and cotton wool was used to absorb the blood that came out of him while in the vehicle.

“At Doreen Hospital, I asked for an emergency room and I shouted for help. They brought a stretcher to the car. I told them that I needed help and my husband was shot,” said Mr. Raheem.

“I just cried and said ‘my wife is pregnant, please save her life’. So they brought an oxygen tank and put oxygen in her nose and a needle in her hand.

“When they brought the oxygen tank, I cried and begged them. I went to the car to bring the phone to show the balance of the account that money is not a problem. I begged them to save my wife.

“They put cotton on his chest to try to absorb the blood. He tried to pray and the doctor said he shouldn’t talk. After, he said ‘I can’t breathe’.

He said the doctor at the hospital referred him to another hospital – Grandville Hospital in Victoria Garden City (VGC).

Ambulance lock

She said that when it was time to take her husband to the hospital, the ambulance driver was not there to provide the keys.

“When they said we had to take him to Grandville VGC, I said, ‘come on. Where’s the ambulance?’ They called for an ambulance and then they said the ambulance driver was not there,” said the widower.

“I told them that they should give me the key, that I can drive the ambulance. They came back a few minutes later and said the driver with the key.

“At this point, I noticed that my husband was getting weaker. I told him that I would put him in my car and that he should hurry. I told him that the doctor would follow us.

“I asked the doctor to follow us. At that time, they started pressing on the chest.

He also said that a police car escorted the car to take the deceased to Grandville Hospital.

Death

Speaking further, he said it was not easy to find Grandville Hospital in VGC after leaving Doreen Hospital.

He said his wife was pronounced dead at Grandville Hospital, and that he was in pain as she died.

“So we got to VGC, I didn’t know the exact location of the hospital. They didn’t tell me the exact point in VGC.

“I don’t know the hospital. I asked the security guard where the Grandville hospital was, he said it was across the street.

“So we had to go back out to the express and the police van was still following me.

“So when I got to Grandville, I ran in screaming my wife was shot. There was a lady doctor around.

“When I rushed in, they started checking the pulse. That’s when they said he had passed. I was broken.

“I can’t talk anymore. The police took him alone to the van. I just looked at myself lifeless in the back of the van, I just said my husband is gone.

“It took me a while to pull myself together because everything was over.”

cross examination

During cross-examination, Odutola Adetokunbo, counsel for the defendant, asked Mr. Raheem if he saw a police officer shoot his wife.

“I heard a shot and the window broke,” he replied.

“Did you see the officer who shot your wife,” asked the lawyer.

“No sir,” said the witness.

“Did you see the defendant shoot your wife?” the lawyer asked again.

“No, I didn’t see him. I concentrated on the officer on the left and I wanted to park. At the very least, he raised his gun to my sister-in-law, so I was careful not to increase it,” he said.

“I put it to you that the bullet could have come from someone else,” the lawyer said.

“With all due respect, I will appreciate that you are also sensitive when doing your job. My husband was shot dead,” said the deceased’s wife.

After the investigation, the brother of the deceased was brought to court to testify.

The judge adjourned the matter to February 1 and 2 for further hearing.