Abia Magistrate’s Car Stolen Outside Court in Brazen Midday Theft

(Toyota Corolla stolen. Photo Credit: The Nigerialawyer)

A Toyota Corolla car belonging to a chief magistrate in Umuahia, Abia State, has reportedly been stolen from where it was parked outside the court premises.

The owner, Chief Magistrate Mrs Ngozi Pearl Lekwa of Court 2, Umuahia, said she parked the black Toyota Corolla outside the court premises along Finbarrs Road at about 9am before proceeding to her office for official duties.

Upon stepping out of the court shortly after noon to attend to some personal errands, she discovered that the vehicle was no longer where she had parked it.

She later learned from a friend that she had spotted the Toyota Corolla being driven at high speed away from the vicinity, with a man behind the wheel.

The friend had initially assumed the driver had been sent on an errand and did not raise an alarm, though she found the speed unusual.

“The vehicle was heading towards the Bende Road axis,” the magistrate said, adding that she had not authorised anyone to use the car and still had the key in her possession at the time she discovered the theft.

In a twist of irony, the magistrate disclosed that she had only the previous day ordered steering locks for two vehicles as an additional security measure.

Only one was delivered, while the second intended for the stolen vehicle had yet to arrive before the incident occurred.

The vehicle’s details were given as registration number AA 579 NBB, engine number 2565542, and chassis number JTDR22E1D0247899.

The Abia State Police Command confirmed that the matter had been reported and that investigations were ongoing.

The Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Maureen Chinaka, urged anyone with useful information to come forward and assist with the recovery of the vehicle.