The Lagos State Police Command on Tuesday, paraded a
64-year-old man, accused of standing surety for many suspects.
The Police Public Relations Officer, Ngozi Braide, said the
suspect usually charged between N50,000 and N100,000 to stand surety.
The suspect, Ebere Agwu, was said to have been arrested
while trying to effect bail for another suspect being detained at X Squad
department at the command headquarters on August 7, 2013.
Braide said, “A suspect in detention at X Squad for
allegedly defrauding a company of N35m, was given bail condition. One of the
conditions was that his surety must provide a C of O. The suspect then presented
Agwu as his surety. Agwu presented a C of O. The officer in charge of X Squad
investigated and found out that the document presented was fake so Agwu was
arrested.
“He confessed that he had used the document on numerous occasions
and usually charged between N50,000 and N100,000 depending on the nature of the
case. We believe that he is not acting alone. Investigations are ongoing and he
will be charged to court soon.”
Agwu said he started the crime over 13 years ago.
When asked where he got the fake document, he said an employee
at the Lagos State Secretariat, Alausa, who is now deceased, helped him to get
it
Describing his modus operandi, he said he only stood surety
for people who had cases in Magistrate courts or were in police custody.
He said, “Once a person has been given bail conditions,
lawyers or agents hire me for my services. I am very careful to restrict my
activities to Magistrates courts because they are not very thorough. I stay
away from High courts.
“Anytime I stand surety for someone, I make sure I go to the
person’s house to get adequate information about the person. For example, in
2011, I helped one Mrs Clark, who was arrested by the Special Fraud Unit to
secure bail. After I stood surety for her, I followed her to her house in Warri
to verify her details.”
The suspect, who preferred to be referred to as a
professional surety, said on some occasions, he used his original documents to
effect bail for his clients.
“I don’t always use fake documents. I have a registered
company and sometimes I use my tax clearance, utility bills and other documents
to procure bail for people. Sometimes,if the bail condition states that the
surety must be a senior civil servant, I will find another person to do it,” he
said.
The Abia State indigene, who was not remorseful for his
actions, said through his illegitimate business, he had sponsored four of his
children through school while his fifth child was in his third year at a
university.
He said he had been warned by his children to stop the
illegitimate business but he continued because of his financial problems.
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