By Izunna Okafor, Awka
A 19-year-old suspected thief has got the beatings of his life from the hands of some angry youths in Awka, the capital city of Anambra State.
The suspect, identified as Chukwuemeka Godwin, who hails from Nsukka in Enugu State, was said to be a member of one of the notorious gangs of young and upcoming criminals going from house to house and moving about lonely places at night to rob and terrorize unsuspecting residents around the UNIZIK Temp. Site, Okpuno Awka, and its environs.
He was, however grilled in the early hours of Friday when a group of youths from the Diamond Hostel (working on a tip-off) invaded their hideouts after having suffered a series of repeated and unbearable losses and robberies from the boys, who also recently stole a tenant’s generator in the same lodge.
It was gathered that upon sighting the youths approaching their hideout, the young criminals, numbering about seven, took to their heels and kicked-off race, including Godwin.
According to narration, Godwin carried the stolen generator along with him (on his head) while running to escape from the youths, even after his gang members had zoomed off through a nearby big drainage.
He was, however, eventually captured by the youths who also hauled him to their lodge at about 6.am, where he was paraded and given the beatings of his life by the residents, especially victims of robbery in the lodge and elsewhere.
Recounting his experience, one of the tenants, who did not reveal his identity, lamented that he had lost many of his belongings, including clothing and electronics to the young criminals, whom he alleged, also sometimes move about with acid, with which they melt people’s locked keys to rob them.
He also revealed that the suspect was just recently released from detention at Enugwu-Ukwu where he was also apprehended for robbery, not up to two weeks ago.
When interrogated by this reporter, Izunna Okafor; the alleged upcoming criminal, Godwin, confessed to the crime, but said he was not the only person who stole the generator.
He also recounted how they went for that particular operation through a fence that demarcates the Lodge from a school behind it, and through which he also threw over the generator to his gang members who now moved with it, while he jumped over. He further highlighted some other robbery operations they had carried out, both in the night hours and daytime.
When asked why he steals, the suspect, who said his mother is late, also revealed that his father lives and does business in Onitsha, while he, as the first son, came to Awka to ‘hustle’. He also vowed with his life never to indulge in any form of criminality again henceforth.
Godwin, who received one of the greatest tortures of his life from hands of the angry youths, was, thereafter, handed over to security agency for further investigation and possible lawful punition.
