Tobias Sylvester
Police have arrested a knight of the Anglican communion in Dunukofia Local Government Area of Anambra State, High Chief Izuchukwu Nwabueze, for allegedly defrauding his church’s Archbishop Alexander Ibezim and others of monies running into N20 million.
Nwabueze was alleged to have obtained N1 million from the Archbishop, N7.5million from a group, the G20, and varying amounts from many other individuals, while posing as an aide to the AIG in charge of Zone 13 Police Command, Mohammed Danmallam.
Parading the suspect at the Zone 13 Police Command in Ukpo, the public relations officer of the command, DSP Nkeiruka Nwode said:
“Ichie Sir Izuchukwu Nwabueze ‘M’ aged 35 of Ukpo Dunukofia L.G.A who has been posing as an aide to the Assistant Inspector General of Police was arrested.
“The suspect had pretended to be raising funds for the furnishing of an unknown Residential Quarters and installing a Sound Proof Generating Set for the AIG Zone 13 Ukpo, and had cornered funds from a group, G20 Foundation Awka, and collected a total sum of N7.3 million.
“The suspect also obtained with false pretence from the following persons: Sir Chidi Igor Okoye N240,000, Benson Okoye, N185,000, Umugama village N100,000 among others.
“The Suspect also took the sum of N1m from one Ifeanyi Umeh Lovelyn on behalf of the Anglican Bishop of Awka; Archbishop Alexander Ibezim of Awka Anglican Communion.”
However, the suspect who spoke with newsmen insisted that most of the monies were given to him to support his quest to run for the position of president-general of his community, Ukpo.
“I know the people that are doing this to me. My opponents are not happy that I am vying for the position of president general.
“Most of the money you are talking about is what people donated to me as Goodwill because I am running for the position of the president general of my community,” he claimed.
The AIG Zone 13 Ukpo, DanMalam Mohammed further called on members of the public who have been deceived into giving their monies to report to the Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of Criminal Investigations Department; DCP Echeng Echeng.
The police cautioned citizens to be wary of this new trend of crime and report suspicious activities or persons, adding that Nwabueze will be charged to court soon in a magistrate court in Ukpo.
KanyiDaily had also reported that police arrested an Anglican Church Knight identified as Sir Peter Uche after he led a 7-man robbery gang to steal batteries from an MTN mast at Double Powerline in Ejigbo area of Lagos state.
