A 60-year-old man who specializes in producing fake currencies has been arrested by the police for allegedly duping a lady to the tune of N1.99million.
The suspect simply identified as Hyacinth Nwogu, was apprehended after the victim, Helen Olajide, 28, reported to the police.
It was alleged that the suspect collected N1.99m in installments from her under the guise of supplying her goods.
Narrating her ordeal, the victim said: “I was standing at the bus stop waiting for a cab when their vehicle came close to me and they claimed that they knew me and that they were ny customers. They told me they have a business for me and being a businesswoman, I decided to go with them.
“One of them was speaking French and they claimed that they were importers and had a container loaded with computers, clothes, babies wears and other items in the warehouse. I picked interest on some of the items and wrote them down. They made me sign an agreement to pay money that they would go to Customs quarters and clear the goods.
“At the house, they collected my ATM card and went to the bank and withdrew N150,000. The next payment I made was N900,000 cash on August 26, which I gave them at Ikeja. Then, they gave me a Fidelity Bank account number belonging to Chukwuma Eke Linda where I paid the other money. In all, I paid N1.992million. It was after paying that I asked myself what was happening. That I have been paying money into a particular account and I haven’t seen the goods.
“Then, I called them to come and sign an agreement with my lawyer but they switched off their phones and started avoiding me. That was when I knew I have been duped. So, I reported to the police.
“They didn’t show me anything about money and they didn’t tell me they wash money. Why would I fall for that if they told me? Are they Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN)? What they told me was that they would supply me with goods.”
On interrogation, the suspect confessed that he specializes in producing fake currency and denied that he promised to supply goods to the victim.
According to the father of five, the amount they collected from the young lady was a million naira which was shared among the four culprits.
He claimed that the vehicle they used in carrying the lady belonged to one of his accomplices, David, now at large, adding that the fake currencies found in his custody were given to him by a friend who retired from the business.
He said: “David brought her to my house and we washed money in her presence. She picked interest in it. After washing N1000 for her, we told her about the need to get the chemicals and she was interested.
“We first collected N700,000 and later N300,000 totalling N1,000,000 and we told her that she would get N5,000,000 in return.
But when she didn’t get the money, nor see the chemical, she started demanding that we refund her money, by which time we had shared the money and the others had fled.
“That was how she went and called the police and I was arrested. She’s the fourth person I have duped. I started the business four years ago after I was duped in the same manner. I was a clearing agent and I lost over N1.2 million in the same manner. I was taken in a vehicle to a place at Iyana Ipaja. I collected N20,000, N30,000 and N70,000 from the other victims.
“What we use as the chemical is coke and vegetable oil. It is not real chemical and I am not the owner of the fake currencies. I took them from a friend who retired from the business and I was doing them. We call the fake notes treasures and it’s what we use to deceive people.
“Everything happened within a week. She visited my house about four times. My share of the money was N333,000. We didn’t use any drug on her. It was a conviction.We show a client the money claiming it’s treasure. She gave me real money.
“I hid it under a bucket containing detergent. My wife and five children live with me but they don’t know that’s what I do.
I” would not be happy if someone dupes any of my children.”
The command’s image maker, Dolapo Badmos, confirming the arrest said the suspect would be charged to court after other suspects still at large have been arrested.
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