Man escapes lynching after foiled murder of boutique owner

But for the timely intervention of the police, an angry mob at the Jakande area of Lagos State would have carried out jungle justice on a hired assailant, who was allegedly sent to kill a boutique owner.

The assailant, whose identity could not be ascertained, had confessed that he was hired by a friend to the victim to kill her at all costs.Although he did not reveal the reason why the victim was marked for death, he said he traveled from Sapele in Delta State to Lagos to carry out the act.

According to an eyewitness, the suspect had gained entry into the victim’s shop under the pretence of being a shopper. Cooking up a false tale of wanting to surprise his girlfriend by shopping for her, he got the boutique owner to show him around the shop.

When they got to the clothes stacks at the end of the shop, he, however, quickly brought out a rope and tried to strangle her with it and at the same time prevent her from screaming.

Although he had cut off her windpipe with the ropes, the woman gained a little strength while struggling and screamed loudly. It was her screaming that attracted some passersby and her neighbours, who stormed the boutique and caught the assailant in the process of strangling her.

The victim was immediately rescued and the suspect arrested by neighbours, who took him outside for questioning.Meanwhile, the victim was rushed to the hospital to treat her from injuries incurred by her on the neck.

After his confession, the suspect was stripped naked and severely beaten by the angry mob that then proceeded to arrange tyres to set him ablaze.He was, however, rescued by the police who tried to disperse the mammoth crowd before they whisked him away to the station.

When contacted, the state Police Public Relations Officer, Olarinde Famous-Cole, an Assistant Superintendent of Police, promised to find out more details about the incident.