Money changer arrested for duping customer

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

Mr. 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 for conversion into naira.

Ms. Lookman, a member the National Youth Service Corps serving in Lagos, had in assisting his mother in the exchange of $5,000 to naira drove to Airport Hotel where he met Mr. Edwin.

Mr. Edwin in changing the $5,000 in $100 notes 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 $4500 back to unsuspecting Mr. Lookman in his car.

According to Mr. Lookman, “I was trying to help my mum change the $5,000. I got to Airport Hotel and I met these men. 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 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”.

He went further, “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 gent to confirm the money. I counted it and $500 was missing. Before I could come out they had run away. The door attendant told me he saw them rushing out of the bank.

“I went to where I met them but I couldn’t see them. It was the third day that I saw Edwin and I invited the police.”

Mr. Edwin in his statement to the police, acknowledged the crime. He said he never followed the gang to 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 thereafter 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.