A complainant in a matter of car theft at the Lagos State Magstrate Court, Mr Austin Abhulimen, has expressed shock over the manner the suspect, Victor Uche, was released and the light sentence slammed of two weeks community service for the offence.
Speaking in a telephone chat, the complainant, Mr Austin Abhulimen 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.
He lamented that he was neither given notice of arraignment and trial nor the notice of charge.
Uche, allegedly absconded with his boss’s Lexus jeep with plate number JJJ 510 GA, allegedly stolen from the Nigeria Bar Association, premises of the Lagos High court, Ikeja ,on March 23, 2021,
He was reportedly arrested in Abuja by men of the anti- vehicle theft of the FCT police command, three weeks later.
The complainant lamented, “I was not given notice of the arraignment and trial, no notice of the charge , except to be told of the two weeks community service given as punishment to a habitual cross border and inter-state rogue.
“I was not even 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.
“The jeep was repainted from grey to navy blue colour and its plate renumbered, at the time it was recovered. A laptop, two Samsung tablets and a mobile telephone belonging to the lawyer identified as Austin Abhulimen, were also recovered in the jeep.
“The suspect was transferred from Abuja to the Ikeja Police division where he had been detained, until May 20, 2021, when he was reported to have been tried and sentenced to two weeks community service by a Magistrate Court.
He further said, “This is the crux of the matter! I could not fathom any reason for such 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 efforts to get the charge sheets from the Police at the station had met brick wall.
He further stated, “I went to the station on May 21, 2021 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 pointed it out to the DCO, Mr Obet, that it is quite feasible to draft the charges and re-arraign the suspect since he was still there in the police station, doing the community service but the DCO did not accept my views.
“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”.
