SWAT busts fleeing Bizman Abdulwahab over alleged N18.2m fraud

Operatives of the Special Weapons and Tactical (SWAT) of the Nigeria Police Force, Lagos have arrested 35-year-old businessman, Ibrahim Abdulwahab for alleged fraud.

He was alleged to be on the run since 2020 for allegedly obtaining the sum of N18,228, 200 from the Managing Director of Agrocounty Limited, Okey Louis Udeh under false pretence.

The police alleged that Abdulwahab from Kwara State collected the money from the complainant with the promise to supply him with Cashew nuts, but that the suspect failed to supply the nuts and instead converted the money to his use, escaped and switched off his phones.

Police further alleged that following the development, the complainant petitioned the Commissioner of Police, CP in charge SWAT, Lagos, CP Durosimi Olatoye who directed his crack team led by Inspector Leke Olaifa to hunt down the suspect anywhere he might be hiding.

The Police team, after months of intelligence gathering, tracked the suspect to a remote village within the Nigeria border and arrested him.

Abdulwahab was charged before the Tinubu Magistrate’s Court, Lagos on a three-count charge bordering on obtaining money under false pretence and stealing.

Police Counsel, Abraham Fadipe told the Court in the charge marked B/12/2022 that the defendant committed the offence between 31 January, 2020 and 3 January, 2022 in Lagos.

Fadipe informed the Court that the complainant paid the sum of N18, 228,200 to the defendant on trust to supply him Cashew nuts, but that the defendant betrayed the trust and converted the money to his use and escaped before he was tracked and arrested.

He said the offences the defendant committed were punishable under sessions 411, 314 and 287 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.

The defendant, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges and his Counsel, Ajibola Sanusi urged the court to grant him bail in the most liberal terms as he is still innocent of the allegations levelled against him by the Police until proved otherwise.

The presiding Magistrate, Mr B.A.Sonuga granted the defendant N2m bail with two sureties in like sum.

Sonuga adjourned the case till 6 June, 2022 for mention and ordered that the defendant be detained at the Ikoyi Correctional Facility till he fulfilled the bail conditions.