Police Arrest Fake Soldier for Swindling Businessman of N92m
One Paulson Ogbonna, has been arrested by the anti-fraud unit of the Federal Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department (FCIID), Alagbon, Ikoyi, for allegedly defrauding a young businessman of N92million.
Ogbonna, who is actually a Catholic Knight of St. John and parishioner at St. Timothy Parish in Ojudu Berger in Lagos, had allegedly presented himself as a senior army officer, who could assist his victim, a winer, recover about N77million owed him by his clients.
The victim, one Francis Obinna, a wine dealer, was said to have bought into the scheme and lost millions in the process.
The suspect had collected millions of naira as money for court processes with the help of a member of his syndicate, who he claimed was a lawyer.
Ogbonna also deceived the victim that he would give him contract to supply wines at all Army Officers' Mess in Nigeria.
The suspect also lured the victim into a supposed importation of building materials with promises to provide links of military topnotch, who will award juicy contracts to him.
According to Police Commissioner Nkem Okoro, who paraded the suspect before reporters, Ogbonna used all available avenues to milk the victim of his money.
Okoro said: "The victim had supplied products to some of his clients worth N77million and it was difficult recovering the money.
"After several failed attempts over a period, a man who identified himself as a Brigadier-General in the Nigerian Army offered to assist him with the recovery and also get him registered with big companies, but ended up making various monetary demands until the victim could bear it no more.
"We had the suspect arrested and got a court remand order to detain him. We are investigating the matter and have invited his wife, as well as the woman who introduced him to the victim.
"His wife was invited because she's a signatory to one of the accounts the victim paid money to and also a director of the company.
"We have also written the army and established he is an impostor. We want to be sure that it is not a syndicate and if there are financial transactions from the accounts the victim paid money into, to the woman who linked them up. If there are, we will trace dates and investigate reasons."
The police boss warned those engaged in fraudulent practices to desist or face prosecution.
He said: “Those who engage in fraudrelated activities must watch out. Those who hack accounts, intercept letters, emails from personal and corporate domains; those who are changing account numbers and addresses should stop forthwith or be arrested. We have the wherewithal to trace and track persons who are into these criminalities.”
Narrating his ordeal, Obinna said he made payments into Best Way Construction Company, Paulson Okechukwu Ogbonna, Icarl International Ventures, Peesab Energy Resources Limited, Lazarus Maduforu, Peesab International Investment Limited and other individuals at the instance of the suspect.
Obinna said most of the payments were made through mobile transfers, noting that the suspect usually objected and directed he sends someone to the banking hall to deposit the money.