Enugu Court Jails Phone Snatcher for Five Years, Remands Suspect Over Alleged Whisky Theft

The Enugu State Police Command has secured the conviction of a 34-year-old man for conspiracy and robbery after he allegedly snatched an iPhone XR valued at ₦240,000 from a woman along Bisalla Road, Enugu.

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The convict, identified as Ejike Nnam, was sentenced to three years’ imprisonment for conspiracy and five years for robbery, with both terms to run concurrently.

In a separate case, a 29-year-old man, Richard Chukwuma, has been remanded at the Enugu Correctional Centre over the alleged theft of alcoholic beverages from a supermarket in the state capital.

According to a press release issued on Saturday by the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Daniel Ndukwe, the two cases were handled by the New Haven Police Division.

The police said Nnam, a resident of an uncompleted building at Nkpokiti, Enugu, allegedly snatched the phone alongside an accomplice who remains at large on October 8, 2026, at about 8 p.m.

He was arrested and arraigned before the Enugu North Magistrate Court the following day, where he pleaded guilty and was convicted.

In the second case, Chukwuma was arrested at about 6:50 p.m. on October 7 at a supermarket whose name was withheld by the police.

He was accused of stealing a bottle of Jameson Green Whisky valued at ₦30,150. The police further alleged that, during interrogation, he confessed to having previously stolen 15 bottles of the same brand from the supermarket.

Chukwuma was arraigned on October 9 and subsequently remanded at the Enugu Correctional Centre.

Reacting to the developments, the Commissioner of Police, CP Mamman Bitrus Giwa, commended the presiding Chief Magistrate for the prompt dispensation of justice in the phone-snatching case.

He called for the speedy conclusion of pending police cases before courts across Enugu State, noting that timely adjudication would strengthen public confidence in the justice system and support crime prevention.

The commissioner also praised officers of the New Haven Police Division and the prosecution team for their diligence, reaffirming the command’s commitment to professional policing, thorough investigations and the prosecution of criminal cases in accordance with the law.

He urged residents to remain vigilant and promptly report suspicious activities to the police.

The statement was signed by SP Daniel Ndukwe, Police Public Relations Officer, Enugu State Command, on October 10, 2026.