25 Year-Old Undergraduate Regrets Stealing N58m Benz During Test-Drive: Claims He Was Bewitched

Meshach Siunuphro, a well built 25-year old man claims to be into various endeavours, but his physique and age might give him out as a Yahoo Boy.

However, he claims to be an Abuja big boy who is into forex trade, and at the same time, a 300-level student of Business Administration at the University of Istanbul, Turkey.

Meanwhile, Siunuphro has landed himself in serious mess. By now, he would be facing interrogation in the nation’s capital as police investigators attempt to unravel the real motive for allegedly stealing and absconding with an exotic Mercedes Benz Sport Utility Vehicle (SUV).

The unregistered automobile, a 2021 model of Benz GLB 250 4MATIC, is said to be worth the princely, eye-popping sum of N58 million only.

Siunuphro, who hails from Ughelli area of Delta State, allegedly disappeared with the car on June 30 while test driving it after commencing negotiations with the Abuja-based dealer.

He drove down to his home state, changed the four alloyed rims, and later left the car in the bush in Oteri community, Ughelli where it was recovered by police operatives on July 3. The suspect was subsequently arrested four days later on July 6 in Benin City, Edo State.

Parading the suspect, Public Relations Officer of Delta State Police Command, DSP Bright Edafe, said the suspect would be transferred to Abuja for further investigation.

Edafe said the suspect saw the car advert online, indicated interest and made contact with the dealer. He said during the physical meeting with the dealer, the suspect negotiated to pay N30 million, and actually pretended that he was going to make payment but requested to test drive it which the dealer obliged, ostensibly for the prospective buyer to know the true worth of the SUV.

According to him, the dealer was with Siunuphro during the test drive, adding that they decided to pull over to refill the tank, as the car was running low on fuel.

They pulled into a fuel station, but discovered that only cash payment was accepted in the particular station.

“So because they were not accepting transfer at the particular station, the dealer stepped out to get cash from a POS stand, only for the suspect to disappear afterwards.

“When it was discovered that the car was in Delta, the complainant who is the Abuja-based car dealer was advised to come to the command to formally lodge the report,” he sai, lied, adding that on July 3, the vehicle was recovered.

“But investigation did not stop there. We later got another intelligence report that the suspect was in Benin. We swung into action and arrested him on Thursday morning, July 6. I moved him to Asaba for onward transfer to Abuja,” he said. Edafe seized the opportunity to advise card dealers and car owners to be wary of the new scheme by criminals to snatch cars from people. He particularly cautioned those who take their cars to car wash centres never to hand over the ignition keys to the attendants.

And suspect speaks

Speaking with our correspondent, the smooth-talking suspect narrated how he drove the car to Delta, even as he regretted his action.

Hear him: “I saw the advert online and chatted with the dealer to set up an appointment. But when I saw the car, I told him it was not worth what he actually mentioned to me initially.

“He asked me to make an offer, and I offered to pay N30 million. He told me to just hold on a minute that I should shut my mouth and wait for us to test drive it. He said then I would hear the sound of the car, and that the car was actually worth the price it was listed.

“He told me that the car is a 2021 model. I volunteered to go for the test drive. On our way, we passed through a long roundabout. Then he said I should quickly pull over for us to get some gas for the car for us to continue the test drive.

“So I pulled over to the gas station and he told me to wait for him, that he was going to get some cash from POS across.

“I waited for over 30 minutes, and he was not showing up. And there was a queue of vehicles behind me at the petrol station. So I had to pull over a bit for other cars to come in and buy.

“I waited over two hours, he was not showing up and it was already close to 6pm. He was already calling me and I tried to call him back but his number was switched off.

“I didn’t know the exact point I was at that moment, so I had to use the nearest filling station to put some gas in the car. He didn’t come after he left. That was when I drove off the car,” he said.

Asked why he did not go back to the car stand after waiting for hours, he claimed that there were lots of car stands, and that it would have been difficult to locate the exact one. Siunuphro said he drove the car to Delta, without stopping at police checkpoints on the way.

He also stated that he ran into a ditch which damaged one of the rims in front, a development that prompted him to change the four rims at N350,000.00.

According to him, his only intention was to buy the car and drive. I was just going to buy and drive. But I have not paid at that point. I was hypnotised, can’t say exactly what happened,” he stated.

He noted that his forex trade business is like a daily business. “It comes and I make my claim and use my profit to do what I want. I was actually expecting some money that same day.

“Stealing of cars is not my business; this is actually my first. I am a 300 level student of Business Administration at the University of Istanbul. I just came back from Turkey.

“Now, I feel nervous, I feel overwhelmed, I wish I didn’t do it. I regret my action. It didn’t go down well. I never expected it will end up like this sort of situation.”