Driver arraigned for theft of employer’s jeep

Detectives from the Lagos State police command have arrested a driver, Emmanuel Odunukwe, for allegedly bolting away with his employer’s Nissan Pathfinder jeep valued at N2.5 million.  Odunekwe was said to have been introduced by a neighbour to the vehicle owner, one Madam Njoku, who employed him three months ago based on the neighbour’s recommendation. […]

Detectives from the Lagos State police command have arrested a driver, Emmanuel Odunukwe, for allegedly bolting away with his employer’s Nissan Pathfinder jeep valued at N2.5 million.

 Odunekwe was said to have been introduced by a neighbour to the vehicle owner, one Madam Njoku, who employed him three months ago based on the neighbour’s recommendation.

 But, according to the police, the suspect bolted away with Madam Njoku’s vehicle when both of them went to Okota, an area on the Lagos mainland, to buy some items. The suspect was said to have zoomed off with the car as soon as his boss entered a shop.

 Confused and devastated, the woman reported the matter to the police at the Ikotun Division.

 City News gathered that policemen had been on the trail of the suspect for over three weeks and eventually tracked him to his hideout in a hotel in Anambra State where he was arrested.

 During investigation, the police team discovered that the suspect had sold the car to one Anene for N70,000. Anene denied buying the car.

 At the conclusion of investigation, the state Commissioner of Police, Edgal Imohimi, ordered that the two men be charged to court.

Consequent upon the directive, the suspect was yesterday brought before an Ejigbo chief magistrate’s court.

Odunukwe pleaded guilty to the two-count charge of conspiracy and stealing, while Anene pleaded not guilty.

 The presiding magistrate, Mr L.K.J. Layeni, granted Anene bail in the sum of N500,000 with two sureties in like sum. 

 The matter was adjourned till January 3, 2018 for hearing.