A suspected motorcycle thief (name witheld) who escaped lynching by the whiskers, is in the custody of the police in Ugep, Yakurr LGA, CR Central, after a mob that caught him and reportedly beat him to a pulp, commendably handed him over to the police.
Sources in the area say the suspect, yesterday evening between the hours of 8-9pm, attempted to steal a motorcycle parked outside Mangoma, a popular red light spot in the town. After expertly dismantling the bike’s ignition and attendant security, luck ran out of the suspect when the owner of the bike returned to his bike, earlier than expected. The owner is said to have immediately engaged the suspect in a fight while raising alarm, attracting a large crowd of persons to the scene. While the suspect was clearly unable to show proof that the bike was his, the mob immediately pounced on him, giving him the beating of a lifetime.
As the clamour for his lynching began to gather momentum, only the immediate absence of used motor tyres and presence of some persons of goodwill in the mob, saved the suspect from being lynched.
At the police station in Ugep, the suspect was hurriedly put in the cell to forestall any further attacks in a town that has recently experienced an upward swing in the stealing of motorcycles, believed to be seamlessly ferried to nearby Abakiliki, Ebonyi state and disposed of. Police sources maintained to www.calitown.com that the suspect will soon appear in court.
