Geoffrey Anyanwu, Awka
The Anambra State Police Command has made another breakthrough in its quest to cleanse the state of crime and criminal elements by the arrest of a syndicate that specialised in defrauding innocent traders using fake bank payment alerts.
The suspects in police net, Charles, 25, and Idris, 24, were apprehended on August 1.
Confirming their arrest yesterday, the state police public relations officer, Haruna Mohammed, said they were arrested at about 6.20pm on that date by police operatives attached to the Command Monitoring Unit (CMU), following intelligence report.
He said: “Suspects who specialise in defrauding innocent traders by generating fake bank payment alerts went to Godwin Chukwu’s shop at No. 59 Zik Avenue, Awka, Anambra State, on July 31, to buy televisions, fraudulently generated fake SMS of N200, 000 alert and sent to his phone for the payment of two 43 inches television sets, which he thereafter released, not knowing it was a fraudulent trick.
“Consequently, on August 1, at about 1pm, the suspects did the same thing and collected four television sets and other accessories valued at N230, 000. The complainant went to the bank to withdraw the money but was told by the bank that no payment was made into his account.”
Haruna said luck ran out on the suspects when they placed another order for 95 inches TV, a deep freezer and Sumec fireman generator with a promise to send an alert but the police detectives who laid siege around the shop premises arrested the main suspect, Charles, who went to collect the items.
The police image-maker further said that four 32 inches television sets earlier collected under false pretense from the complainant were later recovered from Idris. Assuring that the suspects would be charged to court for prosecution after conclusion of investigation, Haruna urged the people of the state to beat alert and mindful of