I'm a Fraudster, not Armed Robber, suspect insists
Posted by confabee-3 374 days ago (Editorial)
A 41-year-old man, Oluwafemi Martins, who was arrested by the Lagos State police command over robbery, said he was only a fraudster.
According to him, he specialised in cyber cafe crimes. The suspect, who claimed to be a graduate, who is knowledgeable in data processing, said he had been in the illegal business for the past 10 years.
He disclosed that he started by clicking dating site, where he chatted with his female victims.
He explained that he usually told them that he was working in one of the companies in Ghana or Benin Republic.
According to him, as the chat progressed, the suspect would come up with irresistible business proposals and offer that would make his gullible victims fall prey to his trap. Martins claimed it was high rate of unemployment in the country that forced him into cyber crime. Though married, he confessed that during the chat, he would tell his female victims that with he was searching for a wife.
Sometimes, he would claim to be sick and needed some money for medical treatment.
Another ploy used by him was to indicate his interest to visit his victims (whites) in their country. After that, he would start making endless monetary demands from her to process his travel documents for a journey that would not be embarked on. Surprisingly, the victim did not see "yahoo or cyber cafe crime as an offence.”It is not crime,” he was quoted as telling the police men investigating him.
Meanwhile, his problem started when the police received a petition; accuse him of being an armed robber. "I am a fraudster, I'm not an armed robber." he insisted.
The Lagos state police spokesman, Mr. Frank Mba said disclosed that the state police commissioner. Mr. Marvel Akpoyibo ordered for his arrest based on the petition against him.
Mba said investigations so far revealed that the suspect was deeply involved in cyber cafe crime.
The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), who described cyber-cafe criminals as creative and intelligent people advised them to channel their energies towards positive ventures.
He said the command would not take it kindly with any youth arrested over cyber-cafe crime.
By: Seun Sojinuga
Daily Sun Thursday, August 27th 2009 Pg28
