Court convicts POS merchant for fraud in Benue

By Andrew Orolua, Abuja

Justice Mobolaji Olajuwon of the Federal High Court sitting in Makurdi, the state capital on Wednesday convicted one Eze Shedrach, a First Bank, Point of Sales (PoS) agent (First Moni) for fraud.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Makurdi zonal office secured the conviction on a one-count charge bordering on cyber -crime.

Trouble started for Shedrach when one of his customers collected N105, 000 from him and issued him an ATM card with which he made an electronic replacement of the sum through his PoS machine.

He carried out the transfer not knowing that the ATM card issued to him by the customer was stolen. Shedrach’s inability to find out the status of the ATM card followed his failure to identify the customer properly before the transaction.

Investigation by the commission revealed that Shedrach was in the habit of carrying out financial transactions without proper documentation of his customers upon withdrawals.

“The withdrawal of N105, 000 done on his PoS machine on April 28 was with a stolen ATM card belonging to a victim, Oodo Rose and could not be traced in his ledger as there is no documentation to that effect.

“A complaint of fraudulent withdrawal from Oodo Rose, the owner of the ATM card led to Shedrack’s arrest and prosecution by the EFCC,” the EFCC stated.

Shedrach pleaded guilty to the charge. In view of his plea, the prosecuting counsel, Y. Y. Tarfa urged the court to convict him in accordance with the plea bargain agreement he reached with the commission.

Justice Olajuwon found Shedrack guilty and convicted him, ordering him to pay a fine of N500, 000 to the federal government and in addition, pay N100, 500 only to the complainant as restitution. He is to remain in prison custody pending the payment of the fines.