In Lagos State: Driver steals UNILAG lecturer’s ATM card, withdraws N2.7m
A driver, Mayowa Adenuga, has been arrested by operatives of the Lagos State Police Command for allegedly stealing his boss’ Automated Teller Machine card and withdrawing over N2.7m.
Also arrested were suspected accomplices in the crime – Adewale
Opeyemi, 18, and Jeremiah Iyitoye, 29.
PUNCH Metro gathered that 25-year-old Adenuga, who is also a
computer expert, was employed as a driver by a lecturer at UNILAG,
Prof. Simbo Banjoko.
It was learnt that the suspect had driven Banjoko to the Bells
University on the day of the incident.
While waiting for his boss on the university premises, the driver found
Banjoko’s Zenith Bank ATM card in the car and hid it.
Our correspondent gathered that when the victim did not notice that
his ATM card was missing, Adenuga used software to uncover the
card’s PIN code.
After withdrawing N200,000 from the bank account through the ATM,
he allegedly bought four iPhones, valued at N495,000; one Macbook
laptop, valued at N415,000; 10 wristwatches, a Blackberry and a ring.
It was learnt that a total of N2,728,255 was withdrawn from the
victim’s bank account.
The theft of the ATM card was said to have been referred to the
Rapid Response Squad, which later transferred the case to the Anti-
Vice Section of the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence
Department, Yaba.
A source said the prime suspect, Adenuga, perfected the crime by
blocking his boss’ telephone line so that he would not see the alert of
transactions conducted on his account.
He said, “The suspect is the lecturer’s driver. He is also a computer
expert. He hid the ATM card for three days and when he saw that the
man did not look for it, he used software to get the PIN. He called
Adewale (Opeyemi) and handed over the card to him for safekeeping,
saying it belonged to his sister.
“When he drove his boss out again at another time, he had access to
the man’s phone and deliberately entered the wrong PUK number three
times which led to the blockage of the line.”
Our correspondent was told that having succeeded in blocking the line,
the suspect contacted Opeyemi and linked him up with another friend,
Iyitoye.
He allegedly asked the duo to make transactions with the card on his
behalf.
The two men were said to have gone to Shoprite, Ikeja, and Mega
Plaza, Victoria Island, where they withdrew N200,000 and purchased
the iPhones, Macbook laptop, wristwatches and other items through
POS transactions.
It was gathered that the loot was shared among the three men.
A police source explained that Banjoko, who noticed that his telephone
line had been blocked, took it to a telecoms centre, where it was
reactivated.
“At that point, he received 30 alerts that a total of N2,728,255 had
been withdrawn from his account. He reported the matter to the
police, and the case was transferred to the RRS.
“When the matter got to the Anti-Vice Section of the SCIID, the police
arrested the driver and after interrogation, he confessed to the crime
and named his accomplices.
“The police recovered two iPhones 6S Plus, two iPhones SSE, one
Macbook laptop, seven GT Shock wristwatches, one Blackberry Z10,
one ring and two bags,” the source added.
The suspects were arraigned at the Yaba Magistrate’s Court on two
counts of stealing.
The charge read in part, “That you, Mayowa Adenuga, Adewale
Opeyemi and Jeremiah Iyitoye, on July 2, 2016, on Olanireti Fesan
Street, Magodo, Isheri, Lagos, in the Lagos Magisterial District, did
steal the sum of N2,728,255 only, property of one Professor Simbo
Banjoko.”
The police said the offence was punishable under sections 409 and 285
of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, Nigeria, 2011
The defendants pleaded not guilty to the charge.
The magistrate, Mrs. O.A. Erinle, admitted them to bail in the sum of
N800,000 with two sureties in like sum.
She added that one of the sureties must be a blood relation of the
defendants, who must be a landlord within the jurisdiction of the
court.
The case was adjourned till October 17, 2016.
