By Peter Omopo
UK-based Nigerian gospel singer and broadcaster, Muyiwa Olarewaju, has alleged that he was treated as a suspect by British police after narrowly escaping a robbery attempt earlier this year.
Olarewaju shared the incident in a video posted to his Twitter account, detailing how a white male assailant tried to break into his vehicle at around 5:30 a.m. while he was en route to work in February.
According to him, the attacker smashed his car window, prompting him to flee the scene and contact the police upon safely arriving at work. He also informed officers about the presence of surveillance cameras in the area that could aid in identifying the culprit.
“I told the police where the cameras were, the fact that the guy had smashed up my window, and the worry and trauma it caused,” he said.
However, Olarewaju said the investigation took an unexpected turn when police began treating him as the primary suspect after reviewing the CCTV footage.
“Immediately after the police got in touch with me, the next thing was they now began an investigation where I was now the suspect,” he stated. “Yes, I was now the suspect.”
The singer said he was summoned for questioning and had to secure legal representation to defend himself, despite being the original complainant in the case.
The incident has sparked conversation online about racial profiling and how victims of crimes can sometimes face unjust scrutiny based on bias. UK police are yet to respond publicly to the allegations.
