I’ve Stolen 6 Vehicles From My Employers

A driver has confessed to stealing his employers’ vehicles and moving onto commit same crime elsewhere. The driver identified as, Idowu Obayemi a.k.a Kehinde Opeyemi Babatunde, 29, allegedly specialises in stealing his employers’ vehicles the day he is employed. He has been arrested by the police in Lagos, Southwest Nigeria.

He was arraigned before a Yaba magistrate’s court on a four-count charge of felony to wit armed robbery and stealing.

The police prosecutor alleged in charge suit number C/10/2012 that the accused was arrested following a written complaint by Nelson Kolawole Obayelu said to be a brother to the accused that Obayemi and others now at large on 28 December, 2011 at Makoko round about Yaba at about 04.50 hours armed with guns and other dangerous weapons robbed him of his Toyota Sienna car with registration number GQ 385 LND valued at N2.5 million and they escaped.

Following the report, a team of police detectives attached to D9 section stormed the residence of the accused at Makoko area of Yaba but they did not meet him at home.

They arrested the wife who led them to her husband’s hideout at 9, Iragbusi Street, Epe, Lagos State. The cops arrested him and took him to the station with a stolen Honda CRV SUV, which he claimed to have stolen from his employer at Ilupeju, Lagos.

The stolen Honda SUV and a BMW car recovered from Obayemi, according to the police, have been returned to their owners.

During interrogation, the accused allegedly denied robbing his brother, but admitted stealing about six vehicles belonging to his employers in the last four years.

“I usually steal my employers’ cars the first or second day they employed me.

“I started stealing my employer’s cars since 2009 when I applied for a driving job through an agent at Tafawa Balewa Square, Lagos with a fake name and address as Kehinde Opeyemi Babatunde of 20, Akinremi Street, Iyana Oworo, Bariga, Lagos.

“The agent posted me to a man at Ogba, Ikeja, as a driver. The man trusted me and sent me on an errand with his Toyota Hilux SUV on the first day and I drove it to a buyer at Ketu who bought it for N1.3 million.

“I wrote an application to get a job with a man at Ajao Estate, Isolo, Lagos State in December 2011 and I stole his BMW car and sold it for N730,000 but before the buyer could drive it away from where I parked at Makoko, Yaba, Lagos, policemen arrested him and recovered the car.

“I also got a job with Owo Blow, a water factory at Oshogbo, Osun State and I stole their Dyna truck and brought it to Lagos to sell, but I was arrested and transferred to Osun State Police Command. I regained my freedom when the owner begged the police to release me.

“I stole my employer’s Nissan SUV in February, 2011 on Apapa Road, Ebute Metta, Oyingbo and drove it to Ajegunle to sell, but before I could dispose it, policemen arrested me and three others with the SUV. They charged us to court.

“I was still going through the court process before my latest arrest with a Honda CRV SUV belonging to a woman who employed me at Ilupeju, Lagos.

“I have been remanded in prison custody twice for same offence for 3 months each and I found my way out and continued the act,” Obayemi allegedly confessed to the police.

Part of the charge reads: “that you, Idowu Obayelu on 28 December, 2011 at Makoko round about Yaba, Lagos did conspire with others now at large to rob Nelson Kolawole Obayelu of his Toyota Sienna car with registration number GQ 385 LND valued at N2.5 million on 12 December, 2011 at Makoko, Yaba, Lagos.

“Stole one Honda CRV SUV car with registration number EJ 68 LND valued at N3 million and Apple laptop computer valued at N375,000 at Campbell Street, Kajola House, Lagos, property of Mrs. Erefu Fyne Country.

“And on 19 December, 2011 at 17, Agbor Close, Ajao Estate, Lagos, you stole one BMW car with registration number AZ 534 YAH valued at N1.6 million, property of Mr. Femi Onifade.”

The presiding magistrate Mr. O.O. Olatunjui did take the plea of the accused on the ground that the court lacked jurisdiction to hear the matter.

He directed that the case file of the matter be duplicated and forwarded to the State Directorate of Public Prosecution, DPP, for legal advice.

He adjourned the matter till 20 March 2012 for mention.

—Paul Iyoghojie