Prophet In Police Custody For Allegedly Stealing $500

A man, who identified himself as Moses Edwin, a prophet in one of the orthodox churches in Lagos State, was on Friday arrested by men of Rapid Response Squad (RSS) of the Lagos State Police Command for allegedly stealing $500 belonging to a customer while trying to convert $5,000 into naira.

Edwin, 50, a bureau-de-change operator, was arrested beside Airport Hotel, Ikeja along with another member three days after stealing $500 from $5,000 bills presented to them by one Adebayo Lookman.

Lookman, a member the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) serving in Lagos, went to change $5,000 to naira at Airport Hotel where he met Edwin.

Edwin in changing the $5,000 in $100 bills promised an exchange rate of N387 to a dollar. He thereafter invited another member of his gang, Daniel Ebhohimen, who together while confirming the dollars removed $500 before handing over $4,500 back to the unsuspecting Bayo in his car.

According to Bayo, “After negotiating back and forth, they offered me N387 to a dollar. They took my details on the ground that the transaction was going to be online. Edwin requested that I should surrender the $5,000 bills for them to confirm. Reluctantly, I gave them but I was monitoring them and I was counting along with them in my car.

“They were mid-way into the counting when another member of the gang distracted me from the driver side of my car. Thereafter, they handed back the money to me that it was complete and we headed to one of the banks in Opebi. We entered the bank. All along they prevented me from counting the money.

“At the bank, they told me the rate they gave me was no longer possible and that they were backing out but I offered for a renegotiation. I told them to excuse me and I went into the toilet to confirm the money. I counted it and $500 was missing. Before I could come out they had run away. The door attendants told me he saw them rushing out of the bank. I went to where I met them but couldn’t see them. It was the third day that I saw Edwin and I invited the police.”

Edwin in his statement, acknowledged the crime. He stated he never followed the gang to the bank, adding that he only ordered his other gang members to finish up the transaction. He added that he was given N10,000 when they came back from the bank.

Edwin assured the police that his gang was ready for amicable settlement by paying back the missing $500. The two suspects have been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department for further investigations.

Source: Guardian