Couple disguise as car dealers, rob woman of SUV

By OKOSUN DENNIS

A middle aged man identified as Alphonsus Onyeama Obi has been arrested by the State Criminal Investigation Department, (CIID) Yaba, Lagos for threatening, stealing and absconding with a car belonging to a female customer.

Obi, a native of Owelli Court in Awgu local government area of Enugu state, but resident at block 6 flat 3 Maryam Estate Isijola Street, opposite Mr Biggs Ikotun Lagos, was said to have been given a car by one Mrs Patricia Anekwe to sell.

National Daily gathered that instead of looking for potentials buyers, Obi was said to have deceived the owner, Mrs Anekwe, who had imported the Mercedes Benz 2001 model valued at N1, 200.000.

It was further learnt that the suspect with his wife, Mrs Obi disguised as genuine sellers but after collecting the car, they absconded with the vehicle and later intimidated the owner threatening to deal with her if she raises alarm about it.

As a result, the complainant petitioned the couple to the Zone 2 Command but after several attempts to arrest them by the police, they invaded arrest and went into hiding until luck ran out of them and the man was apprehended on the 22nd November, 2017 while the wife is still on the run.

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Obi, however, was dragged before a Magistrate Court sitting in Lagos on a two count charges of “conspiracy and stealing” knowing full to be an offence punishable under Section 411 of the criminal laws of Lagos State of Nigeria 2015.

The Police Prosecutor, Assistant Superintendent of Police F. Dele who read the charges to the suspect said: “That you, Alphonsus Onyeama Obi, ‘m’, and other still at large, sometimes April 2016 in Tin Can Island Lagos in Lagos Magisterial District did conspire among yourselves to commit felony to wit: stealing and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 411 of the criminal laws of Lagos State of Nigeria 2015
However, the count two reads: “Thatyou, Alphonsus Onyeama Obi, ‘m’, and other still at large at the same date, time and place in the aforementioned Magisterial District did steal one Mercedes Benz 2001 Model Series valued at N1, 200,000 property of one Mrs Anekwe Patricia ‘F’ and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 280 (1) (a) of the criminal laws of Lagos State of Nigeria 2005.

The Magistrate, Mrs K. Ariyo while considering his case, granted the suspect bail for N250,000 with two sureties and evidence of tax payment of the Lagos State government after he had pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Mrs Ariyo has adjourned the case to the 13thDecember, 2017 for further hearing.