Since then, police operatives have not given up in their efforts to unravel those behind the abduction and killing of the hotelier
A woman, Okereke Olufunmilayo, who was the Manager at a building materials store, has been arrested for allegedly kidnapping and killing her employer, Otunba Abayomi Ajayi Smith, the Director of Rolak Hotel Ijebu-Ode, Ogun State.
Olufunmilayo was said to have perpetrated the act with the aid of her husband, Larry Adebayo Adewumi and one Adebowale Sanni.
It was learnt that the hotelier was kidnapped on September 28, 2020, around about 7:30 am, at Anifowose Estate Igbeba, Ijebu-Ode by some gunmen.
He was killed by his abductors despite the N15 million ransom paid to them by his family.
According to the Ogun State police spokesman, Abimbola Oyeyemi, the efforts of the SP Taiwo Opadiran-led anti-kidnapping team were successful in September this year, when they got wind of plans by the same gang to kidnap the wife and son of their slain victim, Smith.
As the team embarked on technical surveillance for the suspects, one of them, 55-year-old Adebowale Sanni, was reportedly traced to Ikeji Arakeji in Osun State, where he was promptly apprehended.
On interrogation, Oyeyemi said Sanni confessed being on the trail of Mrs Olusola Roseline Ajayi, on the order of Larry Adebayo Adewumi the ring leader, whose wife, Olufunmilayo was an employee of Otunba Ajayi.
“He confessed further that it was Larry who described the location of the victim’s hotel and his other business outfits to him with instruction that if they succeeded in kidnapping the woman and her son, the two of them must be killed after collecting ransom in order not to leave any traces, just as they did to her husband two years ago,” Oyeyemi stated.
His confession, it was learnt, led to the arrest of Olufunmilayo and her husband.
According to Oyeyemi, Larry, an indigene of Ilesha Osun State, was once a fraudster before he moved into full-time kidnapping business.
“His modus operandi was to scout for a rich victim, after which he will mobilized the gang working for him to go after such a person,” Oyeyemi explained.
The said Larry was reported to have got full information about the late Otunba Ajayi through Olufunmilayo, who was the deceased’s Manager.
Police investigation has revealed that Larry has two bank accounts, “where he used to keep money realized from his criminal activities.”
Oyeyemi disclosed that the suspect has a Jaiz Bank account number, 0010913206, with the sum of N34,953,455. His Access Bank account also has a sum of N4,576,846.
It was gathered that a 2014 model Toyota Highlander was also recovered from him.
While commending the police team, the Commissioner of Police in Ogun, Lanre Bankole, directed that other members of the gang be hunted for and brought to book, directing that the suspects be charged to court as soon as investigation is concluded.