Court remands car wash operator for allegedly stealing customer’s car

A Grade I Area Court in Lugbe, Abuja, on Monday, ordered that a 30-year-old car wash operator, Aondongu Matthew, who allegedly stole a customer’s car be remanded in a correctional facility pending further investigation.

Matthew, who resides in Gosa Primary School, Airport Road area, and operates an auto wash outfit in Aco Estate, is charged with theft.

The Judge, Alhaji Abubakar Sadiq, ordered that Matthew be remanded in the Nigerian Correctional Service facility in Kuje, FCT until February 21.

The order followed an application by the Prosecution Counsel, Ijeoma Ukagha, to remand the defendant.

Sadiq said that the court evaluated the applications of the prosecuting counsel, and was convinced that admitting the defendant to bail would hurt the prosecution.

He said that granting bail to the defendant could affect further investigation into the matter.

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Earlier, Ukagha informed the court that the complainant, Clement Omolads, who resides in VON Garden Estate, Abuja, reported the matter at the Iddo Police Station on December 24.

Ukagha told the court that the defendant stole the complainant’s car after he took it to him to wash.

She alleged that the police tracked the stolen car down to Aliade in Benue, as Matthew was about to sell it.

The prosecution said that the defendant was arrested and handed over to the police, and during the investigation, he confessed to the crime.

She also told the court that police investigation revealed that a Magistrates’ Court in Makurdi had in 2018 jailed Matthew for six months, over car theft.

Ukagha said the offence contravened the provisions of Section 287 of the Penal Code.
(NAN)