Two men, Tony Akpan, 27 and Michael Okpara of no fixed address have been arrested by the police at the Redeemed Christian Church of God, RCCG’s Camp situated on the Lagos- Ibadan expressway, Ogun state, western Nigeria with a stolen Hyundai bus inside the camp while the suspects were allegedly looking for a buyer for it.
Police alleged the driver of the bus now at large stole the bus belonging to his employer, Christine Itegbe, a resident of Abioro Street, Ikate, Elegushi, Lekki, Lagos when he was sent on an errand.
The driver, it was learnt, conspired with the arrested suspects and drove the bus with registration No MUS 304 BS to the Redeemed Church camp to look for a buyer but before they could find a buyer for the bus, confusion set in among them.
The driver of the bus, it was learnt, suddenly abandoned his vehicle and his two accomplices in strange circumstances and fled the Camp and he has not been seen since the incident took place on 14 November, 2015.
Police alleged that nemesis however caught up with the two arrested suspects when a vigilant driver of a senior pastor of the church sighted the suspects behaving strangely beside the bus inside the camp and challenged them.
When the suspects could not explain to him how they came about the bus and their mission inside the camp, he reported them to the police inside the Camp and the suspects were arrested.
During interrogation, the two suspects allegedly told the police that the driver of the bus now at large drove the bus to the Camp to look for a buyer but suddenly abandoned them in a strange circumstances.
The police at Illasan division, Lekki, Lagos where the complainant had reported the matter later retrieved the case file from the police at the Redeemed Camp division for jurisdictional reasons.
After investigation by Sgt Orukotan Lonikola and his team, the suspects were arraigned before an Igbosere magistrates’ court in Lagos on a three count charge of felony to wit, stealing a bus and properties valued N295,000 inside the bus.
The police prosecutor, Inspector Clifford Ogu said the offences are punishable under sections 409,285(7) (10) of the criminal law of Lagos State,2011.
The accused persons pleaded guilty when the charges were read to them, and they also pleaded guilty to the facts of the matter.
Magistrate B.A Sonuga sentenced the two accused to 18 months imprisonment each without an option of fine.
