Phone snatcher bags three years imprisonment in Enugu

The Enugu State Police Command has secured the conviction of a male phone snatcher, who was sentenced to three years imprisonment for conspiracy and five years for robbery, with both sentences to run concurrently.

According to the police, on October 8, 2026, at about 8pm, Ejike Nnam, 34, a resident of an uncompleted building at Nkpokiti, Enugu, allegedly snatched an iPhone XR valued at N240,000 from a female victim along Bisalla Road, Enugu, alongside an accomplice who remains at large. Nnam was promptly arrested and arraigned the following day before the Enugu North Magistrate Court, where he pleaded guilty and was convicted. He was sentenced to three years’ imprisonment for conspiracy and five years for robbery, with both sentences to run concurrently.

In a separate case, one Richard Chukwuma (male, aged 29) was arrested on October 7, 2026, at about 6:50 p.m. at a popular supermarket (name withheld) in Enugu, on suspicion of stealing a bottle of Jameson Green Whisky valued at ₦30,150. During interrogation, he reportedly confessed to having earlier stolen 15 bottles of the same whisky from the supermarket. He was arraigned on October 9, 2026, and subsequently remanded at the Enugu Correctional Centre.

The Commissioner of Police, CP Mamman Bitrus Giwa, while confirming the conviction, commended the Chief Magistrate for the prompt dispensation of justice in the phone-snatching case. He called for the sustained and expeditious conclusion of police cases before courts across the State, noting that timely adjudication strengthens public confidence in the justice system and supports effective crime prevention.

The Commissioner also commended the New Haven Police Division and the prosecution team for their diligence, reaffirming the Command’s commitment to thorough investigations and diligent prosecution of criminal cases in accordance with the law. He urged residents to remain vigilant and promptly report suspicious activities to the Police.