By Sunday Apah
The police in Delta have described the allegation made by Mrs. Gladys Ubogu Okeoghene that they extorted Two Million, One Hundred and Eighty-Six Thousand Naira (₦2,186,000) as false, misleading, and a deliberate attempt to evade justice and garner public sympathy.
In a press statement issued on Tuesday, January 28, the Police Public Relations Officer for the Delta State Command, SP Bright Edafe, explained that on October 22, 2024, a complaint was filed via a petition written by Mrs. Gladys Ubogu Okeoghene to the Area Commander in Warri under the Delta State Police Command.
According to the statement, “In her petition, she alleged that a car dealer came to their house and took a Mercedes Benz GLK along with another Benz C400 that had been involved in a minor car accident.
“She further stated that she and her son directed the dealer to sell the vehicles and use the proceeds to buy another car; however, after the dealer sold the vehicles, he misappropriated the funds and cut off all communication with her.
“The Area Commander in Warri directed a discreet investigation, which eventually led to the arrest of six male suspects: Olayemi Abiodun Moses, Nowoke Precious, Tempo Mumandira Billion, Fabian Chinonso Udeh, Ahmed Farouk, and David Solomon. The suspects were apprehended in Lagos and Abuja.
“Following the arrest of all six suspects, the investigation was narrowed down, and one of the suspects, David Solomon, the dealer, was charged in court for the offense of fraudulent conversion regarding the Mercedes Benz C400. This vehicle was later recovered from one Olayemi Moses, to whom it had been sold.
“Further investigation revealed that the GLK vehicle had been properly sold for Four Million Naira (₦4,000,000), and the money was transferred to the complainant’s son, Highness Onoruikpe, by one Austin, who bought the GLK from Solomon. Evidence of this transaction was found on the complainant’s son’s phone, including bank SMS alerts.
“Given this new information, the Mercedes Benz C400, which had been recovered and previously released to the petitioner, was returned to the police station for further investigation, as the petitioner had not been honest in her earlier claims.
“It was at this point that the petitioner abandoned the vehicle and the case with the Area Commander in an apparent attempt to cover up her son’s actions. The police did not collect any money from her, as alleged,” the statement concluded.
