Tina Amanda
Lawyers and litigants have decried the high rate of car theft outside the premises of the Rivers State High Court, Port Harcourt.
A victim of the car theft, Nsiegbe Victor, told our correspondent that on 26 May 2022, he was subpoenaed by a Judge to appear in court and testify in a matter before the judge, but on getting to the State High Court, he parked his four runner Jeep outside the court premises, which is directly opposite Police Clinic, Moscow road, Port Harcourt, before entering the Court.
According to him, he was shocked and surprised not to find his vehicle in the parking lot outside the court premise when he came out of the court.
Nsiegbe disclosed that he immediately went to the control room at Police Headquarters, Moscow Road, Port Harcourt, but all efforts made by the officers to radio other stations to check vehicles that have the same particulars as his stolen vehicle on the road proved abortive.
He explained that he later went to Central Police Station (CPS) for proper documentation.
Nsiegbe revealed that he was shocked to hear at the Police Headquarters when he went back days later, that about ten cars have also been stolen within the same area that his stolen vehicle was parked in a space of one week including that of lawyers and a magistrate.
Also, a lawyer, Kingdom Chukwuezi, who spoke to our correspondent called for improvement on security around the court premises to forestall the re-occurring incident and secure cars of individuals who came to do business in the court.
He said CCTV should be installed within and outside the court premise or security patrol should be stationed within the area to monitor any suspicious movement within the car park.
Chukwuezi, however, noted that there is no sign indicating that vehicles are parked at owners’ risk outside the court premise which would have made the car owners conscious and put up measures to secure their cars outside.
