A rice merchant in Akure, Ondo state capital, Folorunso Afolabi, has petitioned the Inspector General of Police (IGP) Alkali Usman Baba, over the alleged conspiracy, theft, malicious damage, criminal conversion of his J-Boxer vehicle in Ondo town, headquarters of Ondo West Local Government Area of Ondo state
The petitioner, Afolabi, through his solicitor, Gbenga Adedugbe & Co in the petition signed by Ademola Adewumi, appealed to the IGP to intervene in the case of theft of his vehicle which got burnt while transporting rice to his customers in Ore town.
Afolabi is demanding for the immediate arrest, investigation and prosecution of those behind the theft of his burnt vehicle in Ondo town and took the vehicle to Abuja.
According to the solicitor in the petition: “We write as Solicitors to Mr. Folorunso Afolabi (hereinafter called “our Client”), on whose express instruction we write to formally report the criminal activities of the unknown person(s) as stated hereunder:
“That on the 30th day of December 2022, our client vehicle (J-BOXER) got damage on Ondo – Akure axis.
“That while our client came to Akure to call a mechanic to fix his vehicle, on getting back to the place where the vehicle got damage, our client met his vehicle burning and all effort to put off the fire prove abortive.
“That after the sudden fire incident that got our client’s vehicle burnt with the bags of rice, our client returns back to Akure with deep sorrow in his heart.
“That when our client decided to visit the scene of the fire incident on the 3rd day of January, 2023 the burnt vehicle was still there but when our client later visited the scene on the 6th day of January 2023 with the staffs of his insurance company, the vehicle has been stolen by unknown persons and our client went straight to Ondo town to make an oral report at Enu- Owa police station, Ondo.
The petition read further “That on getting to the police station, our client was told that the said vehicle has been taken to the Ministry of Works, Akure by some persons. The officers in charge of the station with no: 09030930060 gave our client’s the phone number of the person who allegedly stole our client’s vehicle.
“That when our client called the number given to him by the police, the man directed our client to come to the Ministry of Works, Akure and on getting there, he failed to pick his calls thereafter and all effort by our client to know the where about of his vehicle has proved abortive till date.
“In view of the facts stated in this petition, we humbly request that you use your good office to conduct a dispassionate investigation into our client’s petition and cause an appropriate action in line with the law to be taken against the unknown suspect(s) in order to recover Our Client’s vehicle and for the interest of justice.
“We shall appreciate it if crack detectives, fearless and of proven integrity are hereby assembled with a view of bringing the culprit(s) within the warn embrace of the law as no individual irrespective of his/her social status in the society is above the law”
Speaking on his experience, the rice trader narrated that Afolabi explained that he sent his driver to Ore to supply rice when the vehicle caught fire but expressed surprised that the vehicle was tolled from the scene of incident by some unknown people after the incident.
He however, said after several days of search the vehicle was discovered in Abuja “because the insurance company insisted in seeing and accessing the burnt vehicle before they could pay any compensation.
It however, amazes me that the suspect was taken to court without my knowledge despite having all evidence and confession of the suspect.
The day they said we would go to the court, I was asked to come to the NSCDC office only to discover that they are preparing to go to court and left for the Court without me but i had to trace them to the court.
I was surprised that I was shut out of the case without my contribution or informing my lawyer and the suspect was released on bail and I was told it is a case against government but I was not satisfied with the way and manners the issue was handled by officials of the NSCDC.
This is the reason I am raising the alarm and calling on Nigerians to help me as I have committed a lot of money and the lawyer told me it is no longer my case and they are not talking about my vehicle again. That is why I’m calling on Nigerians to help me and interfere into the matter”
Culled from tribuneonlineng.com
