The
Special Fraud Unit (SFU) has finally tracked down and arrested an employee who
took off to Benin Republic after stealing his boss’s 50,000 dollars, equivalent
to N8.6 million in Nigeria currency.
The
suspect, identified as Mr. Festus Chukwuemeka,32, an employer of a Bureau de
Change, alerted his wife, Mrs. Blessing Chukwuemeka about his action and
together with their four children, they all fled to Benin Republic.
The
furtive couple was finally tracked down to Idiroko area of Benin Republic by
detectives from the SFU, after a petition from the owner of the money.
Mr.
Chukwuemeka was said to have changed all his phone numbers after absconding
with the dollars, which he was supposed to take to Central Bank of Nigeria(CBN)
for his boss.
SFU
spokesperson, Ngozi Isintume-Agum, who confirmed the incident and arrest of the
suspect, explained that a petition dated January,27, 2014, sent to the
Commissioner of Police, in charge of SFU, alleged that the suspect was sent to CBN in
company of three other staff by the Complainant to collect the total sum of
$50,000 USD each for foreign exchange business.
But
surprisingly, the suspect allegedly made away with the whole money and switched
off all his contacts.
According
to detectives, the suspect changed his phone numbers with a new one and was only
in contact with his wife, Blessing Chukwuemeka and his girlfriend, one Susan
Ehwefan.
The
Police in collaboration with a Communication Company, which the suspect
subscribes to, was able to track down
the fleeing suspect at Republic of Benin where he was hiding.
Isintume
said: “He stated that he was employed as a driver to his boss and was sent with
the other staff to collect $50,000 USD from CBN and as soon as he collected the
money, he bolted to Cotonou with the said sum and switched off all his phones.
“The
suspect alerted his wife to run away with their four children, which she
immediately complied with. The suspect
was arrested at Benin Republic with the assistance of Benin Republic Police
authorities while he was trying to purchase a Hiace Bus.”
The
police said that Chukuwuemeka confessed to the alleged crime, stating that the
sum of $17,000 USD was with his wife at a village after Idiroko.
The wife admitted that the husband called her
on January, 21, 2014 and told her to run away from the house to avoid Police
arrest because he had stolen a huge sum of money from his employer.
She
further admitted that the money was kept under her custody and that the husband
used to come often to collect from her.
“She
was arrested at Idiroko in a friend’s house where she was hiding. The sum of $15,000 USD, $2,620,000.00 CF and N76,500.00 was recovered from her,” said
Isintume-Agu.”
She
added that the suspect is an old employee of the Bureau de Change, from Umuoma
Okpofe in Ezinihite Mbaise, Imo State, adding that is also a mechanical
engineering graduate of Abia State University.
She
revealed that investigation was going on, adding that the suspects will soon be charged to court to serve as a
deterrent to others.
The
Deputy Commissioner of Police, in charge of SFU, Deputy Commissioner of Police,
Mr. Zubairu Muazu called on the general public to be wary of domestic servants,
suggesting that servants should not be exposed to valuables that will put them
into temptation.
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