I stole diesel to pay my child’s school fees—36-yr-old suspect

A 36-year-old father of one, Damilola Kehinde, yesterday in Akure, Ondo State, confessed that he stole a 30-litre jerry can of diesel to raise money for the school fees of his only child.

Before his arrest, over 250 litres of diesel in jerry cans were stolen in the same compound by thieves. The suspect, who is currently at Okuta Elerinla police station, was caught at about 6.30 am, yesterday, in the act at the premises of a photo laboratory located at Leo area of Akure metropolis.

In an interview, the suspect confessed that he decided to engage in the disgraceful act to meet an urgent need in his life as all hope to get money to meet the need failed. Asked what was his need, the suspect said: “l decided to steal the diesel in order to raise money to pay my child’s school fees.” The suspect said his child had remained at home after the second term break because he could not raise his school fees. He pleaded for leniency and promised “never to steal again if forgiven.”

 The suspect came into the premises with a commercial motorcyclist, who parked at Leo Junction, while he went into the compound to steal the diesel. Luck, however, ran against the suspect when one of the workers of the laboratory accosted him while leaving the compound with the stolen 30-litre jerry can filled with diesel. 

Eyewitness account said the suspects fled but the company’s worker raised the alarm, which attracted other people in the compound and was pursued only to be apprehended on another street while trying to change his dress to avoid being identified. 

The DPO in Okuta Elerinla, where he is being detained could not be reached for comment but a top police officer confirmed that the suspect was with them and being questioned and would be charged to court this week.

Vanguard