Police in Enugu state have arrested a 45-year-old man for fraudulently collecting 18 bags of rice from a businessman on the pretence of sharing with indigent people.
The suspect, whose name was given as Nnamani Joseph, was said to have on February 14, 2024, Valentine’s Day, went to the premises of a church in Ogui, Enugu suburb from where he called a businessman (name withheld) on the phone, requesting 18 bags of 25 kg rice valued at N400,000 on the pretence of wanting to use the same for charity in a church.
Having considered him to be honest, the businessman, according to the police, supplied the rice and innocently followed the suspect to the bank to receive his payment through bank transfer.
It was discovered that the suspect had surreptitiously left the bank, returned to the church, and fled with the bags of rice to an unidentified location while the businessman was waiting in the banking hall for him to complete the payment.
The businessman who waited to no avail quickly reported the incident to the police in Ogui Division.
The command’s spokesman, DSP Daniel Ndukwe, who confirmed the incident, said that the suspect was arrested on February 20, 2024, at Emene where he had re-bagged and sold 10 bags at Orie Emene Market, Enugu.
Ndukwe stated, “One Nnamani Joseph’m’, 45, would have successfully defrauded a businessman of 18 bags of rice valued at approximately N400,000.00, under the guise of buying and using the rice for charity at a church, but for the prompt response of police operatives serving in the Ogui Police Division of Enugu State Command he was apprehended.
“The culprit, however, was unable to flee or hide for very long since police officers, after receiving the allegation, launched an intelligence-driven investigation that resulted in his arrest at Emene, Enugu, on February 20, 2024.
“He re-bagged and sold the remaining eight of the eighteen, twenty-five-kg bags of rice at Oye Emene Market, Enugu,” the statement read.
Ndukwe claims that as soon as the investigations are over, the suspect and his accomplices will be charged in court.
But to protect themselves from scammers, he cautioned Enugu citizens – especially businesswomen and women – to always be security-conscious.
