A fraudster paraded by Abia State Police Command has confessed that he was once a victim of fraud, adding that the people that defrauded him later introduced him to the crime.
The suspect identified as Nwokacha Lucky and his accomplice Rekiyat Sunday were arrested on Owerri by Kaduna Street in Umuahia, the state capital following a distress call put across to police operatives at the Central Police Station, Umuahia.
It was learnt that Lucky and Rekiyat were members of a 419 syndicate, who specialised in picking unsuspecting passengers to unknown destinations to defraud and rob them of their belongings.
The state's Commissioner of Police, Adeleye Oyebade, who paraded the suspects at the Command headquarters in Umuahia, told Southern City News that the hoodlums were intercepted by the mob while attempting to pick an unsuspecting victim in the state capital.
He said the suspects had confessed to the crime, while their victims had surfaced and identified them.
He added that one Volkswagen Vento saloon car with Registration No. PBT 422 DT was recovered from the suspects and added that investigation was still ongoing to fish out other members of the syndicate.
Responding to questions from our correspondent, Lucky said he became a fraudster over two years ago after he was duped by some members of the syndicate while embarking on a journey.
He said, “I was duped by some fraudsters while on a journey. Later, I saw one of them and identified him. When I wanted to report him to the police, he asked me to calm down and told me to join them in the business in order to recover my money. That was why I joined them. But I had not been lucky with this business before my arrest.”
On her part, Rekiyat said her duty was to sit in the car, adding that after an unsuspecting passenger entered the car, she would introduce a discussion about certain amount of money she allegedly took away from her master, which she would want all the passengers to share with her.
The widow, who claims the death of her husband led her into the nefarious act, said, “If the passenger we want to dupe develops interest in sharing the money with us, one of us will suggest that we should visit a pastor who will pray for the money before we share it.
“When we get to the pastor’s house, he will then tell us to bring money to pay him before he will pray for the money. At that point, we will tell our victim to bring his/her money, phones and other belongings for us to sell and raise the money to pay for the prayer.”
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