Imo State Police Command has
apprehended Wisdom Mmaduka, a suspected advance fee fraudster hailing from
Onicha in Ezinihitte Mbaise local government area. Mmaduka, believed to be a
key figure in orchestrating fraudulent marriages, is now in police custody
along with 19 other individuals suspected of various crimes.
Mmaduka's alleged criminal
operation, which reportedly included the participation of sham parents and
in-laws, targeted women through deceitful marriage proposals. The Imo State
Police command formally paraded Mmaduka before the public on Friday.
According to Henry Okoye, the
spokesperson for the state police command, Mmaduka's arrest was the culmination
of an intelligence-driven investigation coupled with meticulous data tracking
and analysis by Owerri Area Command detectives. His activities had allegedly
netted him a substantial sum of N1.4 million via ATM transfers, purportedly as
part of marriage arrangements with a victim named Miss Judith.
In a shocking revelation,
Mmaduka confessed to his fraudulent activities, explaining that he focused on
affluent single women, particularly those originating from Anambra State,
exploiting their desire for matrimony to deceive them and abscond with their
hard-earned money. "I discovered that many rich or comfortable ladies,
particularly those from Anambra, have problems with getting married and that
they could do anything to get married to a handsome young man," he stated.
"So, that was how I started using marriage to get money from them. I only
do fairly substantial part of the marriage rites before leaving."
Mmaduka further disclosed his
utilization of a network of collaborators who posed as parents and in-laws,
taking the unsuspecting victims to his village in Mbaise to validate his
purported intentions. "On seeing these, the innocent lady will believe I
have good intentions. So, in the process, I will steal their ATM card, withdraw
all the money in their account, and fade into thin air," Mmaduka admitted.
The police added that,
remarkably, six women who fell prey to Mmaduka's elaborate schemes came forward
to confirm their victimization, providing details of substantial monetary
losses resulting from the same fraudulent marriage arrangements.
In a stroke of ill fortune for
Mmaduka, his criminal activities have come to an end with his recent arrest.
Further investigation has revealed that he allegedly used the ill-gotten
proceeds to construct a duplex in Naze.
Mmaduka has been arraigned in
the Federal High Court in Owerri and is currently remanded in police custody,
pending the legal proceedings that will determine his fate.
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