A POLICE officer with the Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) Unit in Akwa Ibom State has been commended for rejecting a bribe of ₦800,000 offered in an attempt to derail a criminal investigation and secure the release of a robbery suspect.
According to a press release issued on Friday made available to News Point Nigeria by the Akwa Ibom State Police Command, the officer, Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP) Ebong Thompson, turned down the cash inducement brought to him on Wednesday, July 30, by one Emmanuel Mendie Peter, who was trying to secure the release of an alleged armed robber.
The suspect at the centre of the case, 53-year-old David Samuel Isaac, was arrested after police traced a Samsung phone, reportedly stolen at gunpoint, to his possession.
Authorities disclosed that Isaac is a repeat offender who had previously been arrested and prosecuted for similar crimes last year, only to return to criminal activity upon release.
The bribery attempt took a dramatic turn when Emmanuel Peter showed up at the SWAT office with ₦800,000 in cash, intending to use it to influence the investigation and suppress evidence.
CSP Thompson immediately refused the bribe and ordered the arrest of Peter on the spot.
Following the incident, the Commissioner of Police in Akwa Ibom State, CP Baba Mohammed Azare, fsi, issued a commendation letter to all officers involved in the “discreet and professional” investigation. While addressing personnel during the monthly briefing, the CP praised CSP Thompson and his team for their integrity and charged others in the command to emulate their example.
In a firm warning to the public, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), DSP Timfon John, advised citizens to refrain from attempting to compromise police investigations, emphasizing that such actions will be met with the full force of the law.
The police say both suspects are currently in custody and will be charged to court upon the completion of investigations.
