A car dealer has claimed that he bought 20 cars from a customs officer unaware that the man was actually an armed robber.
The car dealer, Alhaji Kayode Aruno, 42, who had once been arrested in 2013 and charged to court for being in possession of 20 stolen cars, was arrested again for buying a stolen Toyota Prado Jeep this year.
The Jeep was stolen on October, 2 2014.
The police however said that Aruno was being economical with the truth.
According to the police, the suspect had been winning and dinning with the robbery suspects for long.
A police source said: “The Toyota Prado Jeep was snatched on October 2, 2014.
“Other valuables were also in the car when it was snatched.
“The suspect, Aruno, is a receiver of stolen cars.
“When we arrested a robbery suspect, called Kachito, his confession led us to arrest Moses Ogu.
“Ogu told us that the vehicle was supplied to Aruno.”
The jeep was tracked and located on October 9, 2014 by a team of policemen from the Special Anti-Robbery Squad, Lagos State Police Command, led by SP Abba Kyarri.
The police team reached the car just as the suspect was allegedly attempting to change its colour at the Ishashi area of the metropolis.
Aruno, who is married to two wives and has four kids, said he resides at Isashi, NEPA Quarters.
He said that he is an OND holder of Yaba College of Technology, 1999 set.
He said: “I started receiving stolen cars from the robbery suspects, Dada and another guy, last year.
“As of last year, Dada supplied me 20 cars.
“I didn’t know the vehicles were stolen ones.
“He told me that he was a customs officer.
“I have a car stand, which belonged to a friend of mine.
“Last year, I bought three Highlander jeeps for N1 million and sold it N1.7 million.
“I bought four Toyota Camry cars at the rate of N400,000 and sold them for 600,000.
“Market price however was N800,000.
“I advised the gang to get me Toyato and Honda cars because people prefer such cars.”
Aruno further explained that he and the gang members used to meet in a hotel, located at Mowe, Ibafo, Ogun State.
“I was arrested by SARS last year.
“About 20 vehicles were recovered from me.
“I was charged to Magistrate Court, Ikeja and granted bail.
“After my bail in court, I got a call from Moses last month, saying he wanted to sell a car to me.
“I brought the car at the rate of N250,000 at Ejigbo.
“After collecting it, I registered the car in my own name with a fake address.
“I also gave the car to the person who changed the body, light and other necessary things.
“The reason I changed the car was because I wanted to polish the car, so that I could sell it at a higher price.
“I also needed money and knew it was a stolen car.”