Nigerian arrested for 1m fraud

The Accra Central District Police have arrested a 42-year-old Nigerian suspected to have defrauded his compatriots to the tune of GHC 1,379,000 under the pretext of exchanging it into foreign currency.

Abdulai Mohammed allegedly collected various sums in cedis from his victims in exchange for their equivalents in Pounds Sterling but ended up bolting with the whole cash.

He was apprehended from his hideout at Kasoa in the Central Region after four of his victims reported the matter to the police for investigation.

The Accra Central District Police Com­mander, DSP Kwame Owusu Sekyere, who confirmed this to Daily Guide, said the suspect, Abdulai had been on police wanted list for the past one month for fraud.

He said police received a com­plaint from the first victim (name withheld) on May 11, 2015 that Abdulai collected an amount of GHC 598,000 from him in exchange for £32,000.

While the matter was under investigation, another victim report­ed that Abdulai had collected an amount of GHC 25,000 from him in exchange for its Pounds Sterling equivalent.

A third victim also reported that Abdulai had collected an amount of GHC 216,000 in exchange for £40,000.

According to the commander, a fourth victim also lodged a complaint that the suspect had collected an amount of GHC 540,000 from him in exchange for £10,000 but bolted.

After receiving the information, police reportedly mounted a search for Abdulai but for over a month, their efforts yielded no fruits. How­ever, on Tuesday, June 9, police had a hint that the suspect was hiding at Kasoa in the Central Region and proceeded to apprehend him.

Preliminary investigations revealed that Abdulai first collected his victims' money in exchange for the foreign currency but returned the cash as a ploy to gain their trust.

After gaining their trust, the victims subsequently gave him more money to exchange into foreign currency for them. Unfortunately, this time he bolts with all the money.

In the suspect's caution statement he admitted collecting the money but claimed he lost all of it through a fire outbreak.

"He will be sent to court after investigations are over," DSP Owusu Sekyere said.