Complainant Cries Foul over Suspicious Release of Driver who Stole His Jeep

By Sunday Ehigiator

A Lawyer, Austin Abhulimen, whose driver absconded with his Lexus-jeep on March 23, 2021, just three days after employing him, has expressed reservations over manner at which the suspect, Victor Uche, was charged to court by the Lagos State Police Command, Ikeja, and sentenced to two weeks community service.

The suspect, as gathered in a statement yesterday, by Abhulimen, was transferred from Abuja to the Ikeja Police division where he had been detained until May 20, when he was reported to have been tried and sentenced to two weeks community service by a Magistrate.

Expressing surprise at the manner the suspect was released and the light sentence slammed on the offence, Abhulimen said he was not given notice of the arraignment and trial, or notice of the charge, and was only “told of the two weeks community service given as punishment to a habitual cross border and inter-state rogue.”

Uche allegedly drove the jeep with plate number, JJJ 510 GA, from the Nigeria Bar Association premises of the Lagos High court, Ikeja, in an attempt to abscond with it, before he was arrested in Abuja by men of the Anti- Vehicle Theft of the FCT command, three weeks later.

The suspect reportedly renumbered the jeep’s plate number, and repainted it to navy blue colour, at the time it was recovered. Among items also recovered in the jeep were a laptop, two Samsung tablets and a mobile telephone belonging to the lawyer.

Abhulimen also said he was not aware that a court was in existence, “as the one I knew had been on strike. No prosecutor was in attendance, neither was I invited as the complainant.

“This is the crux of the matter! I could not fathom any reason for such a ridiculous trial and sentence for a man that stole my automobile valued at N8 million, destroyed my case files, my laptop and two Samsung tablets. This is nothing but mockery of the judicial process,” he said.

He also noted that all efforts to get the charge sheets from the Police at the station had met a brick wall.

“I went to the station on May 21, and met the Magistrate there. I applied for the charge sheet and record of proceeding on the case, but the Magistrate referred me to get the records from the Police, where the trial was conducted.

“I met the DCO who was not ready to give me a copy of the charge sheet. Much later he asked for a written application. I submitted one to him. I complained to him that since the charge did not cover the offences of destroying my case files and destruction of all matters and cases in my law chamber that were contained in my laptop and Samsung tablet wiped away by the suspect, It was desirable to bring fresh charges under section 91, 340 and 341 of the Criminal law of Lagos State.

“I strongly detest the way and manner Victor Uche was tried and sentenced to two weeks community service at Nigeria Police Station divisional headquarters, Ikeja despite the serious crime alleged and overwhelming proof. What transpired in this case is that the officials in the administration of justice have compromised and failed in their essential task of administration of justice.”

He therefore, called on Police authorities at the Zone 2 Command, Onikan and the Commissioner of Police, Lagos State Police Command, CP Hakeem Odumosu , to revisit the investigation and trial, with a view to fishing out other suspects who assisted Uche to forge a fake plate number and repainted the jeep.