A suspected car thief, Matthias Isha, 28 who allegedly stole a
Toyota Camry car with registration number SMK-318DD valued at N1.8
million from a car hire driver at Banana Island, Ikoyi, Lagos has been
arrested in Kogi State, where he used the car to showoff and later
displayed it for sale.
According to PM News, the suspect, a resident of 45, Abukuru
Street, Apapa, Lagos, was tracked and arrested by the police from Ikoyi
division, Ikoyi, Lagos in collaboration with their Kogi State
counterpart.
On how the man stole the car, the police revealed that on 17
December, 2016 when the suspect hired the complainant, Godwin Solomon, a
car hire operator, to help him convey some cooking gas from Banana
Island, Ikoyi Lagos to his customers, on getting to the scene, the
suspect allegedly deceived the driver to allow him drive the car inside
the compound to load the gas into the car to avoid embarrassment from
the security guards on duty.
The suspect, it was learnt, drove the car inside the compound and
escaped through another entrance and drove the car straight to his
village in Ajamba in Dekina local government area of Kogi State to
display it for sale.
After waiting for several hours without seeing the suspect and his
car, the complainant reported the matter to the DPO in charge of Ikoyi
division, Lagos, SP Tijani Mustapha.
Following the report, Mustapha directed a team led by Sgt. Tope Ijatuyi to track and arrest the suspect with the car.
The police tracked the suspect to Kogi State where he was arrested with the car and brought back to Lagos.
During investigation, the suspect allegedly confessed to the crime
and said that he stole the car to sell to raise money to secure a new
accommodation because his present apartment is not comfortable for him.
The suspect was arraigned before an Igbosere Magistrate’s court,
Lagos on a four count charge of stealing, offenses police prosecutor,
Sgt. Edward Abiodun said is punishable under section 409, 285 and 326 of
the criminal laws of Lagos State, 2011.
The accused pleaded not guilty to the police allegation in the open
court and the magistrate, Mrs. O. Kushanu admitted him on bail in the
sum of N500,000 with two sureties in like sum.
Kushanu adjourned the case till 16 April, 2017 for mention while
the defendant was taken to Ikoyi prison, Lagos pending when he will
fulfill his bail condition.