I steal to buy hard drugs, begs not to be taken to prison eighth time – Suspect

By OKOSUN DENNIS

A 41-year-old park keeper arrested by the operatives of the Rapid Response Squad (RRS) of Lagos State Police Command for stealing the phone, has begged not to be taken to prison the eighth time.

The suspect, Emmanuel Oyewunmi,  from Ikale, Ondo State, said he stole the phone to enable him get more for hard drugs.

It was gathered that he was arrested by the operatives on Friday night at Ojodu Berger Bus Stop for stealing N600 and a phone from a bus driver and a passenger.

It was learnt that Oyewunmi, before now, has been on the wanted list of RRS’s operatives for stealing a Samsung Galaxy S4 belonging to one Mrs Adesewa Oni from her car at the Shoprite Shopping Mall, Ikeja

On the penultimate day, the complainant was said to have driven into Shoprite Shopping Mall, Ikeja, where the suspect was a park keeper. Oni, it was further learnt had a function to attend at the Adeyemi Bero, Auditorium, Alausa.

For keeping watch over her car, she decided to reward him with N1000 instead of the usual N200. She drove him to a nearby ATM to withdraw some money out of which she gave him N1000.

Unsuspecting that the suspect has evil machination, left Oyewunmi inside her car while she went for the money at the ATM point.

Soon after she drove off, she narrated, “I have driven 5 minutes away from Alausa when I felt the urge to make some calls for appointments, and I realised that my phone, Samsung Galaxy S4 was missing. Quickly, my mind flashed back to him and I realised my folly.

“How could I have left a total stranger in my car alone, leaving documents and valuable items in the car with him? It was just a silly thing to do for me. I traced him back to that spot but he was gone,” she explained.

Continuing, “When I was done looking for him everywhere, I was advised to report the incident at the RRS’s Headquarters the same day.”

The suspect admitted stealing the phone of his helper while she left him in the car to get money through the ATM last week Sunday.

“I was push into it by the need to get hard drugs. As soon as I got the phone, I went to Ipodo in Ikeja to get hard drug. It was the hard drug dealer that bought it from me. He bought it N8, 000:00. I spent the rest on drug. I was so pained that I forgot to shave and barb from the proceeds of the stolen phones”, he stated.

He explained further, “hard drug has spoilt my life. It was the cause of my rejection by my wife, and my father. I got hooked on drug while I was young and getting out of it has been extremely difficult for me.

“Some faith based non-governmental originations have assisted me through rehabilitation in the past, I have always gotten back into it. Drug has been the predominant cause of my imprisonment.
If I am imprisoned now, it would be the eighth time and third time this year”, he said.

On his second offence, Oyewunmi admitted stealing a phone and N600 from the bus driver and a passenger but pleaded that he was under the influence of drug.

Confirming the arrest, the Police Public Relations Officer, Superintendent of Police, Dolapo Badmos, urged Lagosians not to expose themselves to criminals.

The suspect has been transferred to the Lagos State Taskforce for prosecution.