By Mark Lenu
A robbery suspect, identified as Anolue Kennedy was, on Wednesday, remanded at the Port Harcourt Correction Centre for allegedly robbing two cars and attempting to kill the car owners in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital.
Addressing the court, the police command in Rivers State who arrested Kennedy said: “A RAV4 Jeep Model 2007 with Registration Number LAGOS FST 869 GL valued N4.2 million was robbed at gunpoint on December 30, 2020 at the Alekahia axis of the East West Road about 10:00pm.
Barely 12 hours after to robbery, in Rivers State, the car was reportedly found in possession of Kennedy in Anambra State, while the car owner remained critically ill in the hospital as he was shot him in the stomach.
“The second car, a Lexus ES 350 with registration number SKN 739 AU valued at N3,850,000.00 was snatched on January 4, 2001 at gunpoint, by Kennedy and his gang, same place and time the RAV4 Jeep was robbed.
The second car was also found with Kennedy in Anambra State less than 12 hours after the operation was carried out in Rivers State.
When asked by the court regarding his involvement in the crime, Kennedy said, “I bought the two stolen cars from one Chigozie Henry at the cost of N700,000 each.
“I was not able to show the police where Henry lives because I don’t know his house. I used to meet with him at a particular place in Onitsha, Anambra State,” he said.
Another police officer told the court that the tracker in the Lexus car helped the police to trace the car from Rivers State to a mechanic warehouse in Onitsha, Anambra State where the two stolen cars were recovered.
According to the policeman, “When we got to where the Lexus car was recovered in Anambra State, Kennedy had already dismantled the four tyres of the vehicle and had begun to change the paint colour of the car.”
While Kennedy admitted that he unknowingly bought the stolen vehicles, the police insisted that he was among the robbery gang that snatched the two vehicles.
The reasons for linking Kennedy with the gang of robbers who are still at large by the police were as follows: “That Kennedy bought the two stolen cars in two weeks from someone he (Kennedy) does not know the seller’s residence and occupation.
“That immediately after the two cars were successfully snatched from Rivers State and driven to Anambra State, the stolen cars were found in Kennedy’s possession among others.”
Kennedy is currently facing 11 count charge bordering on car theft, attempted murder, knownfully possessing stolen cars and others.
The case was adjourned till March 25, 2001, for legal advice from the Rivers State Director of Public Prosecution.