CRIMES COMMISSION ARRESTS SERIAL DUD CHEQUE ISSUER

The petitioner had alleged that on October 16, 2018, that two men approached him at his shop at Iwo town, Osun State to indicate interest in purchasing a 2006 Toyota Matrix car he displayed for sale, explaining that after negotiation on the price, the two parties agreed on N1, 580,000.00).

Penpushing further reports that, the petitioner told the commission that a post-dated First Bank cheque was issued supposedly to cover the cost, which bore the name Rabiu Bamidele Lateef as the account owner.

The petitioner added that, in order to perfect  his criminal intention, Babatunde, acted as a driver to the other suspect (now at large), with whom he came for the negotiation, adding that the runaway suspect falsely introduced himself as the account owner and a Doctor at Bowen University, Iwo.

Penpushing also reports that having agreed on the price, Bamidele left the scene to ‘deposit’ the money and later came with a copy of the deposit slip as an evidence of payment of the agreed sum, while the petitioner said though he was not comfortable with the payment arrangement, but reluctantly released the vehicle and the custom duty papers, hoping that he would contact the ‘buyer’ through his phone number should any issue arise.

The car dealer said, it dawned on him, the following day when he got a call from his bank that the cheque has been returned unpaid due to insufficient funds, adding that since then, all efforts he made to get the suspects proved abortive since all the information given turned out to be false.

Penpushing  reports that, the petitioner said, this made him to contact the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission(EFCC), and in swift response swung into  action, which led to the discovery of the car already sold to a lady in Abuja at the cost N1,800,000.00, as well as subsequent arrest of  the suspect.

The arrest of Babatunde also revealed number of his fraudulent activities, as another set of complainant appeared to identify him, as a fraudster. One of the victim, said on September 7, 2018 two men came to his filling station around Mokola, Ibadan, Oyo State Capital to negotiate for a 2007 Toyota Avensis car he displayed.

Penpushing further reports that, the complainant alleged that after the negotiation, they agreed for N2,000,000.00, and  Bamidele immediately issued a cheque  to ‘pay’ for the car, and committed the crime in the same manner he did to the one which has now led to his arrest.

The complainant recalled that, the suspect made away with the car, under the guise of testing it, having ‘paid’, while the cheque issued was later discovered to be dud, and efforts to trace him remained abortive

Penpushing reports that, Bamidele, an established serial fraudster, when asked about the identities of his accomplices in the operations, gave the name as Santar Ademola, who, he alleged, was late at the time of his arrest.

The alleged  car thief as further investigations revealed, that sometimes in 2017, he was prosecuted by a sister agency for similar offence. He was, however, released from prison custody where he was remanded when the complainant stopped showing interest.

Penpushing further reports that, the Commission as at the time of filing this report is making frantic efforts to get other culprits arrested, and they will be charged to court as soon as investigations are concluded.