Licensing Officers Arrested For Shielding Car Thieves

Policemen attached to the Eziama Police Station in Aba, Abia State on Tuesday arrested two vehicle licensing officials, Innocent Ogboonna and Ikechukwu Goodness, while allegedly attempting to register a stolen vehicle.

A statement by the state Commissioner of Police, Anthony Ogbizi, indicated that the vehicle, a Toyota Highlander, with registration number KUT 18 CA, was allegedly snatched from one Obiageli Orizu at Nnewi in Anambra State at gunpoint in 2016.

Ogbizi stated that the car thieves brought the vehicle to Aba and sold it to one Allwell Izunwa of Owaza Asa in the Ukwa West Local Government Area of the state with fake documents.

He disclosed that at the point of effecting change of ownership with the fake documents at a Motor Licensing Office in the Ariaria area of Aba, Ogboonna and Goodness, both workers of the licensing office, discovered that the documents were forged and the vehicle was stolen from its owner.

He said instead of alerting the police, the officials informed the receiver of the stolen car to run away.

The police commissioner said, “It was based on a tip-off that police operatives swung into action recovered the vehicle and arrested the suspects.

“Efforts are in progress to arrest other members of the gang at large.”