MICHAEL AKINOLA
A supposed greedy businessman in Lagos State, Solomon Awhasu, has lost a whopping sum of N5.5m to a local fraud syndicate, popularly known as money doublers, after he gave them the money in a quick bid to become richer as they promised to double any sum he can part with.
P.M.EXPRESS reports that the incident happened at Ijaniki area of Lagos, where Awhasu was accosted by members of the syndicate, who promised to make him richer and he believed them.
The victim was said to have gone ahead to borrow money from March 2022 till May 2022. And when he was unable to get more money from anyone, he was asked to come and collect the money they had doubled for him, which runs into hundreds of millions.
However, when he got to the place they had asked him to come to collect the money, he met nobody and all the contacts he had with them were disconnected.
It was at that point he eventually realized that he has been duped and he reported the matter to the Police.
The members of the syndicate were trailed and three of the suspects namely Femi Fatuwele, 51, Sunday Abimbola, 38 and Aderemi Adeyemi, 35, were arrested and detained for interrogation over the alleged fraud.
During the interrogation, the suspects reportedly told the Police that they obtained the money from him but had no means to double the money for him or any other person.
The Police asked them to refund the money but they explained that they were many and they had already shared all the money he brought throughout the period he was bringing the money.
The Police found them culpable and subsequently charged them before the Ogba Magistrates Court for conspiracy, fraud and stealing.
They pleaded not guilty when they were arraigned.
The prosecutor, Inspector Adejumola Olasunkanmi, asked the Court to give a date for hearing since they pleaded not guilty before Court to enable the Police to prove that they actually committed the alleged offence.
The Presiding Magistrate, Ms O.O. Adesun, granted them bail in the sum of N300,000 with two sureties in like sum, who must show evidence of means of livelihood.
The matter was adjourned while the defendant were remanded in the Correctional Centre at Kirikiri town, Lagos, pending when they will perfect their bail conditions.