Stolen Benz car returned to its Nigerian owner after two years tussle

Accra, Oct. 20, GNA - A Mercees Benz C240 car snatched in armed robbery operation in Lagos about three years has been returned to its Nigerian rightful owner, Mr Ufuoma Omorode on the directives of Ghana's Attorney - General's Office.

A letter from the Attorney-General's Office stated that following a counter motion it filed, an Accra High Court set aside its own ruling that the car should be released to Mr Joseph Baisie Hazel of Jobesh Car Rental, who had claimed ownership after he had bought it at Osu, Accra from an unidentified Nigerian.

Mr Hazel had told the Police that he bought the car on the streets of Osu from some Nigerians whose addresses could not be traced. The tussle over ownership of the car began in 2001 when Interpol Accra arrested Mr Hazel on charges of dishonestly receiving a stolen property and was put before a Circuit Court.

While the case was pending Mr Hazel filed a writ at the High Court for the release of the car to him.

The Police led by Mr Kwaku Ayesu Opare-Addo, Head of Interpol at the time, refused to comply with the Court's order saying that the pending criminal case took precedence over the civil action initiated by Hazel.

In the ensuing case the Inspector General of Police and the Head of Interpol were cited for contempt of court for not complying with the Court's order.

The contempt charges were, however, dropped by the Court later. Mr Omorode contended that he bought the car from Daimler Chrysler in Stuggart, Germany, and he was robbed of it on December 12, 2000 in Lagos.

The Police said Mr Omorode would have to spend about 3,000 dollars to put the car on the road because it had been parked for quite sometime now.