My Son Started Stealing After Learning To Smoke Indian Hemp–Mother Laments

The mother of one Chiemelie Odo, aka Shinge, Saturday, told THE WHISTLER that her son was a good boy and scared of stealing ‘even one kobo until he went for apprenticeship in Minna, Niger State, where he learnt how to smoke Indian hemp’.

The mother, who spoke at Nsukka, said, “Emelie was a good boy throughout his primary and secondary school years. He never stole anything then. Not even a pencil. He attended Orba Boys’ Secondary School. It was when he returned after not completing his apprenticeship in Minna some years ago that this whole problem started.

“He retuned and became addicted to Indian hemp. It is not quite long that he returned from prison after his conviction. He is currently in another criminal matter. I begged him to learn a trade but he refused. I don’t know what to do again. His siblings are upright people. How Chiemelie became like this, I don’t know.”

Chiemelie, THE WHISTLER gathered, hails from Orhom, Agu-Orba in Udenu Local Government Area of Enugu State. He was two weeks ago arrested by the police at Nsukka on matters pertaining to stealing of a phone, laptop and money belonging to a journalist.

The reporter, who does not want his name mentioned, said, “It was on 22nd of last month. I parked my car along Nsukka-Enugu road to make an inquiry. My phone was plugged in my car to charge. I was very close to where the car was parked, so I didn’t bother to wind up.

“But in a twinkle of an eye, Chiemelie rode on his motorcycle, double crossed the car, and made away with the items. He denied stealing the laptop and money, but accepted stealing the phone. We made efforts to arrest him, but he had a way of evading arrest.

“He is an okada rider, and has a dagger hidden in his bike. On two occasions, my undercover agents tried to arrest him, but he used his weapons to escape. I had to use vigilantes at Orba to arrest him.”

He said tracking him was made possible after it was discovered that Chiemelie was released from prison not quite long.

In his words, “It was a prison source that told me where he came from after I described him. Though he answered Chukwuemeka Odo there, his lanky, dark and ruthless nature exposed him. Ironically, he lives opposite Orba police station. Behind his house, though about a kilometre, is the Area Command’s office at Orba.

“When police raided his house, four stolen motorcycles, generators, sound systems belonging to a popular church, daggers, hammers, four android phones, about twenty sim cards, and many phone accessories were found. He accepted to have stolen them.

“But he said he had sold my phone at N9, 500. This is Infinix Hot 8. Emelie told me when I interviewed him at the police station that he doesn’t know what makes him steal.”

A source at the police station, who does not want to be mentioned, told our correspondent that, “He has other revealing matters aside the phone. He accepted that all items recovered from him were stolen. He sells them in beats. He told somebody that he stole church instruments because they disturb him during their services. He will be charged to court once our investigation is completed. Owners of some of the items are gradually showing up.”

Records show that Chiemelie is in his 40’s, and unmarried.