My siblings looked up to me for Xmas wears, says suspect

….who stole, televisions, dog from his benefactor

A 24-year-old driver has been arrested for stealing his former boss’s televisions, dog, DSTV decoders and Avensis car.

The suspect, Abass Ope, said that he stole his former boss, Ekinodo Ifoghale’s property because the man owed him eight months’ salary. He further said that he carried out the dreadful act because his siblings needed Christmas wears.
Ope was able to gain access into Ifoghale’s house by picking the spare key from where he knew it was usually hidden.
The suspect went to Ifoghale’s home with three of his friends, when he knew the man and his family had travelled to Delta State. On the day he went to steal the items, he waited until the security guard had gone to church before he struck.
Ope confessed to have stolen a 100 inches LCD TV, another 42 inches LCD TV, a dog, a suitcase, 2 DSTV decoders and a Toyota Avensis 2013 model with the registration number AGL 734 AR.
The suspect was arrested at Ojuelegba area of Lagos by operatives of the Rapid Response Squad (RRS), Ikeja, Lagos State Police Command, on year Boxing Day.
Ope said: “I took the car because I had no money to take care of myself and younger ones. They had no clothes, no shoes and this is Yuletide season. They looked up to me to take care of these expenses. It was about three months now that I left Mr. Ekinodo. I had worked for him for four years before leaving him on August, 2016. I left because he had a little challenge and things were pretty tough for him. I left so that he could have himself sorted out.”
Ope further said: “Mr. Ekinodo was a very nice boss to work with. He enrolled me into University but I couldn’t continue the education after I left him. While he had this challenge, he owed me eight months’ salary. This prompted me to take his property and the vehicle.”
According to Ope, after stealing the items, he tried to sell off the car at Ojuelegba. But the buyer wanted to pay N2million for it.
Ope said: “I insisted he pays N4 million. I knew the car was worth more than that. The buyer offered me N1million as upfront payment. He said he would pay the balance of N1million after a few minutes, but I refused. I decided to ignore the offer, hoping that the dealer would call me back for a re-negotiation. I went back to Ojuelegba few hours later in company of three of my friends; that was when RRS operatives arrested us.”
Those arrested with Ope are; Balogun Oluwaseun, 23, Sanni Azeez, 23 and Stephen Ewiele, 22.
The police said: “ The suspect, during  Christmas period, stormed his boss Magodo home while he and his family were holidaying in Delta State, with conspirators to move a 100 inches LCD TV, another 42 inches LCD TV, a dog, a suitcase, 2 DSTV decoders and a Toyota Avensis, from the home. The suspect invaded the house after learning that his former boss had travelled to Delta State for the Christmas holiday, and that the gatekeeper had also gone to church. The suspect, who knew where his boss usually kept keys to his rooms, went there and took it.”
When Ifoghale heard that his home was burgled, he ran back to Lagos. He alerted Magodo Police Station and also called his former favourite worker, Ope, to intimate him of the development.
Ifoghale expressed shock when an official of the RRS called him to notify him of his recovered. Ifoghale said that he didn’t report any crime to RRS.
Ifoghale said: “I’m in shock. This is a guy I treated like a son. Apart from my wife, he was the closest person to me. This is a guy that did my shopping for me. Even, before I buy anything for myself, I would first buy for him. How can I owe him eight – month salary when he never worked for me in those periods? Did he inform me that I owed him? He was never in my house in the periods he claimed.  I called him more than twice when I got the report of the break in. He told me he knew nothing about it. If he had told me he needed money, I would have given him because we were still very close despite the fact that he was no longer working for me.”