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By Funke Busari
A 33-year old man, Kehinde Ogunjembola, may soon commence a new life in prison if the police are able to prove the case against him beyond reasonable doubt.
Kehinde, his tenant simply identified as Saheed, as well as Saheed’s sibling, and one Abiodun Osinbajo, 35, are currently now with the Ogun State Police Command for burgling a yet to be commissioned hospital in Iperu, Ikenne Local Government area of Ogun State.
It was a mission accomplished as they successfully carried out the operation and carted away several items.
But their joy was short-lived. The police have rounded up the suspects, including Kehinde, and they are now singing like birds.
In his confessional statement, he said he had a longtime ambition of owing a Plasma television set. The opportunity to achieve his heart’s desire came with the construction of the 100 bed mother and child hospital facility in Iperu. He could not wait for the formal commissioning of the hospital to strike.
In a chat with this reporter, Kehinde, who claimed to be a herbalist, said while he was searching for some herbal leaves, he was attracted to the facilities in the hospital. Peeping through the window, he saw Plasma television sets, fans and other electronic gadgets.
He remembered his dreams and went into action.
His first assignment was the recruitment of ‘capable hands’ to execute the plan.
“I peeped through the window where I saw brand new television sets while searching for leaves at the back of the hospital. I went back home to inform my tenant, Saheed alias ‘Anjonu’ (Ghost), who hails from Cotonou.”
He claimed his tenant advised that they should go and see the items the next day but he should not mention about his findings to anyone else.
Kehinde said they didn’t have to pass through the entrance to the hospital but scale the fence.
Convinced that he now had a formidable team, Kehinde said he agreed with the plan, and they went into action.
He led the criminal gang to the hospital, broke into it and stole electronic equipment worth about N3 million.
But like Oliver Twist, he did not take only the plasma TV and fan. They went away with other electronic items.
With the collaboration of his tenant, Saheed Anjonu, he sold the items for N360,000.
He also explained that his tenant, who also recruited his younger sibling into the gang, connected him to a buyer. Negotiations were held on the items via phone calls, and he informed the buyer of where the goods were kept. Saheed it was that conveyed the loot to the buyer with his motorcycle.
He said their operation was successful because there were no security personnel guarding the hospital as at the time they stole the items from the facility.
He gave account of their loot from the mother and child hospital. “We took away from the hospital eight small sized TV and two big sized TV, making 10. Others were four rechargeable standing fans and six small freezers.
But like Oliver Twist, Kehinde and his other gang members wanted more. Kehinde was impressed by their successful operation at the hospital and decided to give it another try. This time, they burgled a private residence.
Now singing like a canary in police custody at Eleweran in Ogun State, Kehinde said with Saheed, who was his tenant, Saheed’s younger sibling and Abiodun Osinbajo, their mission was a successful one.
But the bubble burst when they burgled a private residence.
Commander of the Amotekun Corps in Ogun State, David A. Akinremi gave further information about the gang and their arrest.
According to him, Kehinde admitted he and his partners-in-crime burgled and stole from a Lagos-based woman who was supposedly his neighbour.
He confirmed that following Kehinde’s arrest with two other culprits, items recovered from the gang include six 43-inch Hisense TV sets valued at N990,000; two 65-inch Bruhm TV sets valued at N770,000; three Bruhm fridges valued at N285,000; one Midea refrigerator valued at N100, 000 as well as three Lontor rechargeable standing fans valued at N90,000.
Unfortunately for three of the suspects who spoke with Saturday Sun, the tenant, Saheed Anjonu fled the house with his wife and children upon hearing that Kehinde has been arrested.
He said his tenant usually took the stolen items to the Toll Gate area where he sold them to a certain Lawal Aliu, who hails from Kaduna State. He blamed his tenant for the burglary that gave them out.
He also gave an account of the burglary that occurred in Madam Kehinde Banjoko house at No. 2, Efunyale Street, Iperu.
Hear him: “Saheed called me that the gate of the house was left opened. He had already packed some items out by the time I got there and I selected only the items I needed, which were found in my home.
“I stole a foam, gas cooker, stabiliser, electrical wire, while ‘Anjonu’ took the rug, generator and fan.”
The police recovered the items from where he kept them in his house. The police described him as a dreaded member of the Eiye cult whose operational trademark is killing and cutting off the left arm of their victim.
The lid was blown open when the victim, Madam Banjoko, made a complaint to the law enforcement agency that some unknown persons broke into her residence while she was away to Lagos.
Kehinde, who said he was married with children, stated that his family lives in another part of the state because his wife is pregnant.
While pleading for mercy, he blamed his younger sibling of informing an operative of Amotekun corps of the items in his room.
He noted that on March 12 that he was arrested, he had returned home only to find police officers bringing out the items from his room.
Also narrating his involvement, 35-year-old Abiodun Osinbajo, who hails from Iperu, claimed he was arrested for accompanying his friend to steal a plasma TV from the hospital.
He admitted that the television sets were removed through the window behind the hospital and passed to him.
He said four of the suspected thieves entered the hospital to cart away the items but admitted that he took a TV and fan for himself, and was given N20,000 by Kehinde, after he spoke to someone on phone.
He said during his first operation with the gang, four TV sets and three fans were removed from the hospital. He said he regretted his actions and urged the government to forgive him, describing himself as a first time offender.
“I want the government to forgive me because I have not stolen in my lifetime before,” he pleaded.
Also speaking about his involvement, 25-year-old Lawal Aliu from Kaduna admitted that he received only six television sets, which he bought for N35,000 each after he had been informed by the escapee Anjonu that they were stolen items.
He told Saturday Sun that he paid a total sum of N395,000 to Kehinde and his gang.
“I work in Kara. This is the first time I bought stolen items,” he said.
Like other members of his gang, Aliu admitted his guilt and begged the government to pardon him.
Besides the arrest of Kehinde, Abiodun and Lawal, the police said efforts are ongoing to apprehend other criminal receivers mentioned by the suspects with a view to recovering items allegedly sold to them.
The police said the items recovered are currently in their custody.
