The Abia State Police Command has commenced investigations and launched a manhunt for a Toyota Corolla belonging to a Chief Magistrate after the vehicle was reportedly stolen outside a court premises in Umuahia, the state capital.
The incident has sparked concern among judicial workers and residents, with police appealing to members of the public to provide information that could assist in locating the vehicle and identifying those responsible.
Police Confirm Ongoing Investigation
Confirming the development on Wednesday, the spokesperson of the Abia State Police Command, DSP Maureen Chinaka, stated that the matter had been officially reported and was receiving attention from investigators.
According to her, efforts are currently underway to recover the stolen vehicle and apprehend the perpetrators.
“The above was reported, and investigation is ongoing,” the police spokesperson said.
She further urged anyone with useful information regarding the whereabouts of the vehicle to come forward and assist security agencies.
Vehicle Stolen Outside Court Premises
The owner of the vehicle, Chief Magistrate Mrs. Ngozi Pearl Lekwa of Court 2, Umuahia, narrated that she parked the car outside the court premises along Finbarrs Road at about 9:00 a.m. on Tuesday before proceeding to her office for official duties.
According to her, she intended to spend only a short period at the office before leaving later in the day for personal engagements.
However, upon stepping outside the court premises shortly after noon, she discovered that the vehicle had disappeared.
The missing vehicle was identified as a black Toyota Corolla, 2008 model, commonly referred to as a “bank car.”
Witness Reports Seeing Vehicle Being Driven Away
Mrs. Lekwa disclosed that a friend later informed her that she had seen the vehicle being driven at high speed shortly after it exited the vicinity of Market Square.
According to the witness, a man was behind the steering wheel, but the magistrate was not inside the vehicle.
The witness reportedly assumed that the driver had been sent on an errand by the vehicle owner and therefore did not suspect any wrongdoing at the time, despite noticing the unusual speed at which the car was being driven.
Owner Still Had the Vehicle Key
One of the more puzzling aspects of the incident is that the magistrate said she still had the vehicle key in her possession when she discovered the theft.
She maintained that she had not authorized anyone to use the car and was surprised to learn that it had been driven away without her knowledge.
The development has raised questions about how the vehicle was accessed and removed from the location.
Planned Security Measures Came Too Late
Mrs. Lekwa also revealed that she had recently taken steps to improve the security of her vehicles.
According to her, she had ordered steering locks for both of her cars just a day before the incident occurred.
However, only one of the locks had been delivered, while the second lock intended for the stolen Toyota Corolla had not yet arrived before the theft took place.
She expressed regret that the additional security measure was not available in time.
Appeal to the Public
The magistrate has formally reported the matter to the police and appealed to residents to remain vigilant.
She urged anyone who may have seen the vehicle or possesses information that could aid the investigation to immediately contact law enforcement authorities.
The Abia State Police Command has assured the public that every effort is being made to recover the vehicle and bring those responsible to justice.