21st August, 2024
By Paul Iyoghojie
The Police at the Adeniji Adele Division, Lagos Island, Lagos of the Lagos State Command have arrested a fleeing driver who allegedly stole his Employer’s Toyota RAV4 Car valued at N7.5m in Lagos.
The driver, Sani Auwal, 41, allegedly drove the car to Abuja to look for a buyer just a week after he secured the job.
Police alleged that the incident occurred on 13 January 2024 at Nnamdi Azikiwe Road, Lagos Island when the owner of the Car, Mutiat Sabastion sent him on an errand with the instruction to bring back the car.
Police further alleged that the driver instead of returning the car went to pick up his friend, Jubril Sanusi, 29, and drove the car straight to Abuja.
When the complainant waited for 24 hours without seeing her driver and his phone number was not going, she reported the matter to the divisional Police Officer, DPO in charge of Adeniji Adele Division, Lagos Island, Lagos.
The DPO swiftly gave a marching order to his crack team to fish out the fleeing driver anywhere he might be hiding and recover the car from him.
Police said that nemesis, however, caught up with him when the man who wanted to buy the car in Abuja suspected foul play and called the phone number he saw inside the vehicle particulars to inquire if truly the car was for sale.
The owner of the car allegedly responded and told the supposed buyer that the car was not for sale and that the driver disappeared with the car.
Following the revelation, the supposed buyer invited the Abuja Police to arrest the driver and his accomplice.
At the Station, the driver allegedly confessed to the crime that he stole the car from his employer in Lagos.
Police said that following the development, Abuja Police allegedly sent a signal to the Lagos State Police Command over the development and a Police team from Adeniji Adele Division led by Joshua Okpoma went to Abuja to bring the suspects and the recovered car back to Lagos.
The suspects were charged before the Tinubu Magistrates’ Court, Lagos Island, Lagos on two counts bordering on conspiracy and stealing.
Police Counsel, Ben Ekundayo informed the Court in the charge Marked TA/6/2024 that the defendants committed the offence on 13 January 2024 at Nnamdi Azikiwe Road, Lagos Island, Lagos.
Ekundayo told the court that the incident occurred when the complainant sent the driver on an errand with the instruction to return the car but that instead of returning, the first defendant went to pick up the second defendant and drove the car to Abuja to sell it before luck ran out against them.
He said the offences, the defendants committed were punishable under sections 411 and 287 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.
The defendants whose trial is ongoing pleaded not guilty to the charges and were granted N500,000 bail with two sureties in like sum by Chief Magistrate, M. Owunmi who adjourned the case for the continuation of trial.
