An Aero flight passenger identified as Mr. Ovuironye Mathew Dennis,
travelling onboard a Lagos to Abuja 6.45am Aero flight today (Monday)
was allegedly caught stealing about N350, 000 from a luggage belonging
to an Austrian, Novotny Anton, another passenger on the flight.Dennis, 31 with 1.65 height as captured in his temporary driver’s licence and sitting on flight seat No. 23C,was spotted by a member of the airline’s cabin crew when he removed the Austrian’s bag from the cockpit as if he was changing his seat.
The Nation’s correspondent, who was on board the same flight, said the suspect was also caught with a wrap of marijuana.
The suspect had removed the bag from the cockpit where the Austrian sat, took it to his own seat, giving impression that he was changing his seat and stole a sum of N150, 000 and 500 Euros belonging to the Austrian.
But he ran out of luck when a female cabin crew raised alarm, asked him to remain seated while he was trying to return the bag to the cockpit before the Austrian could suspect any foul play.
“While trying to return the bag I asked him to seat down. But he became uncomfortable before the plane landed and the white man raised alarm that he couldn’t find his bag,” she said.
Immediately the plane landed at the Abuja airport, the Austrian couldn’t find his bag and raised alarm, but the cabin crew member told him to check the bag with Dennis.
Dennis however told other passengers that he mistakenly took the bag in question for his own. But when the Austrian realised that the sum of N150, 000 and 500 Euros had been taken from the bag, other angry passengers immediately descended on Dennis stripping him naked.
The money was later found on him alongside a wrap of marijuana.
The suspect however told The Nation correspondent that he stole the money to take care of his ailing mother.
*Original reportage by The Nation, rewritten here *
