The Police at the Area ‘A’ Command, Lagos Island, Lagos, South West Nigeria have arrested two suspected fake bureau de-change agents and charged them before a Lagos Magistrate’s Court for allegedly swapping the original 20,000 USD belonging to a customer with fake 20,000 USD and escaped.
Police alleged that the incident occurred on 3 July, 2023 when the defendants, Ibrahim Muritala, 48, and Nurudeen Akinsanya accosted the complainant, Idika Ola inside banking hall at Tinubu area of Lagos Island and introduced themselves to her that they were bureau de change agents.
Police said the complainant believed them and gave them the sum of 20,000USD equivalent to N12m for them to change it to Naira equivalent for her.
Police alleged that during the discussion about the buying and selling the dollars with the complainant, the defendants cleverly exchange the original 20,000 USD belonging to the complainant with fake 20,000USD bundle and gave her the fake 20,000 USD bundle with the excuse that they would not be able to buy the dollars for the amount the complainant insisted she would sell the 20,000 USD unknown to the complainant that the defendants have swapped her dollars with fake ones.
She took the 20,000USD dollars to another BDC agent to exchange it to Naira equivalent for her only to be informed that the dollars in her possession were fake.
Police said the complainant quickly rushed back to meet the two defendants, but they were nowhere to be found.
Following the ugly development, the complainant petitioned the Assistant Commissioner of Police, ACP in charge of Area ‘A’ Lagos Island about the matter who swiftly directed his men led by Inspector Gboyega Oyeniyi to hunt down the suspects.
After days of intelligence gathering, the police arrested the two suspects at a hide-out on Lagos Island, Lagos.
The duo were charged before the Tinubu Magistrate’s Court, Lagos Island on a four count bordering on obtaining money by false pretence and unlawful possession of fake dollars.
Police counsel, Ben Ekundayo informed the court that the defendants committed the offence at Union banking hall at Tinubu square, Lagos Island, Lagos.
Ekundayo told the court that the defendants tricked the complainant and collected the sum of 20,000USD equivalent to N12m from the complainant with the pretext of changing the dollars to Naira equivalent for her, but that instead, the defendants cleverly swapped the complainants original dollars with fake 20,000 USD and gave her fake 20,000 USD and escaped before they were arrested.
He said the offences, the defendants committed were punishable under Sections 411, 314, 287 and 329 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State, 2015.
The defendants, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges and Magistrate, O. S. Abioye granted them N3m bail each with two sureties each in like sum.
Abioye adjourned the case and ordered that the defendants be detained at the Ikoyi Correctional Facility till they perfected the bail conditions
credit: PM NEWS
