Sherifat Rasag, 45, was detained by the police at the Bariga Division of the Lagos State Police Command in Lagos for allegedly defrauding Mayowa Akindamola of N360,000.
Rasag claimed to be a street sweeper in Lagos’s Bariga neighbourhood. She was accused in front of a Lagos Magistrate’s Court.
Ifeanyi Udochukwu, a 35-year-old man, was also detained and charged with receiving the N360,000 from her.
According to police, the incident happened on July 21, 2022, at 3 Adeyinka Osifo Street, Akoka, Bariga, Yaba, Lagos. Rasag allegedly met the complainant’s sales girl there, gave her an account number, and told her to transfer N360,000 from her employer’s account to the number she had given, promising to immediately reimburse her for the money taken from her account.
Police alleged that the innocent salesgirl believed her and sent her employer’s N360,000 into the account Rasag presented to her.
Police further alleged that when the salesgirl told her to pay back her employer’s money, Rasag allegedly took to her heels.
The salesgirl, according to the Police, raised the alarm which attracted people who assisted her to pursue and apprehend Rasag and held her down.
Residents quickly sent a distress call to the Divisional Police Officer, DPO in charge of Bariga Division, CSP Adolf Ogwu about the incident who swiftly dispatched his men to the scene of the incident to arrest the female suspect before mobs would lynch her.
Rasag, who resides at 18, Idowu Street, Bariga Lagos and her alleged accomplice, Udochukwu also a resident of Bariga were charged before the Yaba Magistrate’s Court, Lagos on four count charges bordering on conspiracy, fraud and conduct likely to cause a breach of peace.
Police Counsel, Magaji Haruna told the Court that the first defendant deliberately went to the POS operator’s shop to defraud her with the connivance of the second defendant who allegedly received the money.
Magaji said the offences the defendants committed were punishable under sessions 411, 315(1)(a)(b), 287 and 168(d)(2) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.
The defendants, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges and Magistrate, O.Y Adefope granted them bail and ordered that the defendants be detained at the Ikoyi and Kirikiri correctional facility till they perfected their bail conditions.
She adjourned the case till 30 September, 2022 for mention.