Criminal Released From Prison Gets Nabbed 48 Hours After For Another Crime

A 22-year-old serial burglar, David Ekwe, was charged to Omi Adio Magistrates’ Court on Monday, December 2, the second time in six days, after he was caught at Ile-Titun area of Ibadan with a plasma TV he allegedly stole from a house he burgled. 

Information gathered had it that residents of the area had lodged a complaint at Eleyele police station that burglars usually invaded their houses between the hours of 9a.m. and 4p.m. when they would have gone out to their offices or shops.

The Divisional Police Officer, Deputy Superintendent of Police Olawole Ayoola, reportedly held a meeting with the head and members of the community, after which he deployed plain-clothes police detectives in the area.

The move paid off on Friday, November 29 when a boy was sighted loitering. A trap was reportedly set for him and not quite long, he was seen coming from a street with a plasma TV in its box. When apprehended, Ekwe confessed to have burgled a house and when he took policemen to the house, it was discovered that not a single member of the household was around.

Ekwe further revealed that his gang had about four members, with one of them already in prison while others were still working in other parts of the city.

Immediately he was brought to the station, policemen recognised him as the suspect that was charged to court on November 26 for the same crime. He was said to have pleaded guilty at the court, which made the magistrate not to waste time on his case. He was said to have sentenced the accused to one year imprisonment with an option of N10,000 fine.

Ironically, the complainant in the case was reported to have assisted the convict in paying the fine the following day, which aided his release from prison custody on November 27. He was caught again 48 hours after.

Ekwe, when taken before the same magistrate last Tuesday, was remanded in prison custody and his case adjourned till December 16.

Nigerian Tribune