Thursday, August 11, 2016

Bank manager’s car recovered after robbery




Operatives of the Rapid Response Squad (RRS), Lagos State Police Command, have recovered the stolen car of a bank manager.

The car, Nissan Sentra, which is an official one of a first generation bank, was allegedly stolen at gun point after some robbers stormed a hotel in Iju-Ishaga, Lagos State, where the bank manager was lodging.

The robbers were said to have requested for the car key from the banker, before making away with it, along with other valuables.

Detectives would later find the said car displayed on a popular online shopping platform. The policemen immediately called the marketer, pretending they wanted to buy it.
The police noticed that the car’s original number had been changed to, APP 510 DW, in order to sell it.
The man, who displayed the car on the online shopping platform, was said to have eagerly welcomed the buyers, unaware he was walking into the arms of policemen.
He later assisted the police in the arrest of its marketer, Mr. Olawale Olabinwonnu, in Ikorodu, several days later. The car was recovered on August 1, 2016, at a car park in Lekki, Lagos.
Olabinwonnu 35, working with Cherubim and Seraphim Church in Igbogbo, Ikorodu, as an administrative officer, was arrested by RRS Intelligence Team on Tuesday for trying to sell the Nissan Sentra, 2015 Model.

The police said: “Olawale, sensing something was wrong with the vehicle, had along with his family, moved out of his Ikorodu residence and office to evade arrest. But investigators tracked him to another church in Ikorodu, where he was arrested after church service.”


Olawale said:  “The vehicle was given to me to sell by Ahmed Abbey. I met him at Dammy Jay Hotel, Ikorodu. I went there to drink and he came to my table, bought drinks for everybody. That was how I liked him.

When I was going home, he gave me N2, 000. Those were moments I was struggling and I had no job. I saw Abbey later that week. I told him that I needed a job. He asked me if I could help his sister, who was travelling overseas, to sell her car. I told him that I would try.”

The suspect continued: “I consulted my pastor twice on the issue of helping Abbey to sell the car. First, my pastor told me to go ahead and collect the car from him and sell it. I took the car from Abbey and began to market it, but after about three weeks, I couldn’t get a buyer. Abbey took the car from me. Some weeks later, I stumbled on him with the car and he challenged me that I didn’t want to assist his sister sell her car.”

According to Olawale, after a while, they agreed he should try again to look for another buyer.
He once more consulted his pastor for guidance and prayer. This time, his pastor introduced him to somebody in Lekki. The person has a car park, located at a very strategic place.  It was there, the Nissan Sentra was placed for sell until police arrested him.


Olawale further said: "Since I was arrested, I have been calling Abbey, to come and explain the situation to the police. Most times, he would refuse to pick my calls, at other times, he would switch off. Presently, he's no longer picking any call on that line.”
The State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), SP Dolapo Badmos, who confirmed the incident, said that the suspect was helping the police with investigation. She further said that efforts are ongoing to arrest Abbey.

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