By; RAYMOND TEDUNJAYE, Lagos.
Operatives of the Special Fraud Unit, SFU of the Nigeria Police, have apprehended a fetish serial fraudster, with his latest victim being a Chinese national.
The suspect identified as Saheed Mosadoluwa Audulahi (a.k.a Ibile), was alleged to have duped the Chinese national, who is the owner of JI Chu Industries Nigeria Ltd, the sum of 400,000 US Dollars under false pretense.
Saheed, who was paraded Sunday at the headquarters of the Unit in Ikoyi, along with varieties of charms and ritual ornaments, was also alleged to have earlier defrauded some unsuspecting victims of various huge sums of money, who had come to testify against him.
While parading the suspect, police public relations officer of the unit, ASP Lawal Audu hinted that the suspect had been elusive for four month after swindling his victim, adding that he was arrested following intelligence tracking by the operatives.
Audu said the suspect was arrested following a petition by Akande & Akande Chambers on behalf of JI Chu Industries Nigeria Ltd, a foot wear manufacturing business entity located at Ejigbo area of Lagos.
He said the petitioner had alleged that the suspect obtained the sum of $400,000 USD equivalent of N165, 480,000.00 only, on the pretext of transferring the money to JI Chu’s business partner in China.
According to Audu, as soon as the suspect received the said sum, he generated fake telex transfer slip and gave same to the victim as a proof of transfer of the money to China.
He added that when the complainant received the telex, he contacted his business partner in China to confirm if indeed he received the money, but the answer was negative
“At this point, it was obvious that he had been swindled by the suspect, hence the petition. Detectives from this unit immediately swung into action, detailed and extensive intelligence paid off as he was eventually apprehended at his hideout in Magodo Phase 2, Lagos on 17th of December, 2016”, the SFU image maker disclosed.
When detectives eventually gained access to his house, Audu said they made a shocking discovery of fully equipped juju shrine, believed to be a powerful tool in deceiving his victims.
The SFU spokesperson added that investigation revealed that N4.5 million out of the money was immediately used to purchase an Highlander Jeep.
Various incriminating items such as international passports numbering about 30, four vehicle’s supposedly bought with the proceeds of the fraud, different forged certificates purportedly authorizing him to recruit students from Nigeria to institutions abroad, he said were recovered from his house, when searched based on a duly obtained search warrant.
Audu said further investigation revealed that the suspect was also involved in numerous criminal activities ranging from illegal bank transfers, hacking, visa racketeering, issuance of fake foreign academic certificate e.t.c.
“The suspect is also operating fake freight forwarding at the Airport and the seaport. The suspect is not a licensed Bureau De Change operator nor a licensed Custom’s clearing agent”, he added.
In a chat with journalists, the suspect confessed to the crime, but said the money was withheld in UK following some irregularities.
He said the victim had asked him to transfer the fund to China through London, saying he (victim) did not want to pay the actual custom duty.
