Two ‘Muslim clerics’ arrested in Lagos over N10m fraud - Daily Trust

Police detectives attached to the Lagos Special Fraud
Unit (SFU) have arrested two 'Muslim clerics' for
allegedly defrauding local and foreign businessmen of
N10 million.
The suspects Fatai Bamidele and Lateef Ahmed,
allegedly paraded themselves as Muslim clerics to
defraud innocent members of the public of their money.
They were said to have allegedly operated a shrine in
Ilorin in Kwara State and they took victims to the shrine
where they were made to take an oath not to reveal
what had happened to them to others.

Parading the suspects before newsmen in Lagos
yesterday, Commissioner of Police in charge of SFU, Mr.
Tunde Ogunsakin, said the fraudsters were arrested
based on a petition by some victims about their
criminal activities.
The petitioner, according to him, alleged that sometime
in October 2011, one Lawal Suleiman collected his
goods (fireworks) valued at N13, 320, 750.00 with the
promise to pay as soon as the goods were delivered.
The goods were delivered successfully but the suspect
refused to pay, he said.
He said Fatai Bamidele, 34 years old from Kwara,
claimed to be a Muslim cleric who normally assists
Lawal Suleiman in his spiritual life. "Lawal Suleiman
came to him to seek special assistance concerning the
bad dream he had and also that he needed more power
and more money", he added.
The request for more money, according to him,
prompted him to introduce him to one Alhaji Lateef
Ahmed in Ilorin who happened to be his master and
superior.
"So he informed Lawal that they have two types of
money rituals: there is the one brought by ghost and
the other type from daily contribution," he added.
He said Lawal opted for daily contribution and at the
end of it all about N10 million was allegedly obtained
from him so far before the police swooped on them.
The commissioner said it was discovered during
investigation that of the N10 million Lateef gave his
colleague in crime, Bamidele, N2.5 million while he took
the remaining N7.5 million.

Sent from my BlackBerry wireless device from MTN