Man Whose Dog, Properties Were Stolen By His Driver Tells His Own Side Of The Story

A bank worker, Ifoghale Ekinoso, has refuted the claim of his ex-driver, Abass Ope, that he (Ope) stopped working for him because he (Ekinoso) had hit hard times.

Ekinoso, who spoke with PUNCH Metro on Monday, said he sacked the 24-year-old for going to nightclubs with his car.According to him, he never owed the driver any salary before he let him go inAugust 2016.In his words:

“I engaged him in 2012 while working in a bank. He was on the payroll of the commercial bank. When I changed company and discovered that they were paying him less in the new place, I decided to be adding to the money, so he could be comfortable. He was earning more than any other driver. I was paying him N45,000. When I left that bank, I told him to sort himself out.”

“I gave him the car key immediately without any interview because I had known him. I bought a university form for him and took him to Ikoyi and enrolled him in a computer class,” he added.

“I discovered that he would sneak out with my Range Rover Sports at night and go clubbing. One of those nights, my 13-year-old son saw him going out with the car. He sent a text to the boy not to tell me. I called and queried him because it was a company’s car. That was when I ended the relationship with him.

“Before the separation, he was earning N50,000 every month. Once they credit me, I pay him. He ate breakfast, lunch and dinner in my house. He was living in my house for free and I even connected inverter to his room. He also had DSTV connected to his room.

“When he was caught by the police, he needed an excuse for stealing and that was why he said what he said. He was paid every month.”

It was gathered that Ope was arraigned on Monday before an Ebute-Meta Magistrate’s Court for the crime.