I spent N250, 000 on my 13-year-old lover- Teenage suspect

*Suspect: Sex makes me to steal, spend on my girl

There were gasps of shock when a16-year-old, who has a penchant for stealing in churches, confessed that yearning for sex and the need to financially satisfy his 13-year-old lover, was behind his drive to commit more crimes.

Further outraged followed when it was discovered that the teenager, Christian Sylvanus James, had been stealing tithes and offerings from Full Life Christian church, Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, where he worships.

James, a secondary school student (SS1) of Aka Offot Community Secondary School, Uyo, was accused by policemen attached to Akwa Ibom Police Command of specialising in stealing car batteries and burgling churches.

The suspect, who spoke with New Telegraph, described himself as an expert in stealing car batteries. He confessed to have been committing such a crime since he was 12 years old. According to him, he had made a lot of money from the crime. James had N60, 000.00 in his wallet when police arrested him.

Although James further confessed to have stolen from several churches, but church members said he went too far when he decided to steal from his own church.

He said: “I worship at Full Life Church. I was able to know how and where they keep offerings and tithes, including other property, so I was able to steal them.”

The waterloo of James and his gang started after a church member discovered that James was behind the series of missing tithes and offerings in the church.

The member alerted others and soon, the church mobilized and went to lodge a complaint against James at the police station.

Police went after James and arrested him in his parents’ house.  He confessed to the crime without breaking out in sweat. He further mentioned the names of his gang members and calmly escorted the police to the houses of each of them.

According to investigators, pastors in the church where James worshipped with his parents had repeated told his parents that their son was possessed by an evil spirit.

One of the indicators, according to the factors, that James was possessed was his incessant desire to fight his mum. It was further gathered that his father, a petty trader, sick and tired of his stubborn and criminal behaviour, had given up on him.

Determined to ensure that the boy was exorcised of the evil spirit, his mother dragged him from one church to another. The efforts failed. James didn’t change.

A police source said: “The boy confessed to have run away from home when he was just 10-years-old, to stay at a place called Plaza area in Akwa Ibom. That area is inhabited by criminals. It must have been where he imbibed bad habits.”

James, who confessed to have started living a wayward life since he was 10, said that he regretted lavishing all he stole on his 13 years old lover and fellow students at Aka Offot Community School.

Arrested along with him are members of his gang, identified as Victor Umo Eno 16, Edward James 17, and Aniebet Bassey Ubong 17.  They confessed to be James partners in crime.

 James further said: “I have given my girlfriend over N250, 000 from money I stole. The last I gave her was N20, 000. When I was arrested, she denied collecting money from me and was given bail with the help of a lawyer. I regret my actions.”

When asked why he spent such huge sums of money on his girlfriend, James said: “The sex I get from my 13-years old girlfriend is reason for my generosity.”

The Akwa Ibom Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) an Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP), Cordelia Nwawe, noted that James and his gang had stolen several car batteries across the state in the last few years until they ran out of luck.

She also explained that the youthful gang of thieves has stolen several property of churches within the Uyo metropolis. She stressed that some of the stolen church items had been recovered from the suspects.

In another development, a 24-year-old man, Mr. John Aniekan, has cited being financial handicapped as his reason for kidnapping a four-year-old boy in Ukanafun council area of Akwa Ibom State.

Aniekan, who was apprehended moments after kidnapping the child by the police, said he was financially challenged and going through difficult times.

He said: “I did it to get money from his parents and help myself.”

The police said: “The suspect kidnapped the boy as he was returning from school. People who saw him raised the alarm. People gathered and pounced on him. If not for the timely intervention of the police, he would have been lynched. After he was arrested, he confessed that he needed money and wanted to kidnap the boy for ransom. Unfortunately, his plan didn’t work.”