�419� Man Arrested

An alleged fraudster who, together with two others, succeeded in defrauding a businessman by engaging him to supply them with 27 pressure valves amounting to over GH₵90,000 has been arrested. Ezekiel Okpega, 41, a Togolese and member of an alleged �419� syndicate, was arrested when his accomplices sent him to meet the victim for the pressure valves. Briefing the press in Accra yesterday, the Adabraka District Commander, Chief Superintendent Cephas Kwoffie, said the victim on August 26 received a call on his cell phone from an unknown number, and the caller described him (victim) as though he personally knew him. He said the caller told the complainant that he was working with a gold mine at Tarkwa and his boss, who is a �Whiteman,� wanted someone to supply the company with pressure valves. The caller later identified himself as Michael Wiafe when he called the victim the following day and gave the mobile numbers of one Atkins and Nana Addo to the victim. Chief Supt. Kwoffie said Michael told the victim that Nana Addo deals in the pressure valves and that the victim should contact him to get the valves for Atkins, his supposed White boss. �The victim subsequently called Atkins, who asked him to supply him with 12 valves,� he added. He said the victim quickly contacted Nana Addo, who pegged a pair of the valves at $300. The victim spent GH₵7,000 and bought the valves from Nana Addo. He later called Atkins for them to meet since he had bought the valves, but Atkins gave an excuse of being busy, and asked the victim to get additional 15 pairs of the valves and bring them to him at Tarkwa, were the gold mine was. The victim again called Nana Addo to supply him with the additional 15 valves. On the victim�s way to supply the valves to Atkins on August 31, Atkins called him and told him that the money was not ready and that they were expecting some money from abroad. On September 4, Atkins called again that the money was being brought from Togo, but to clear the money, it would cost 2.5 million CFA. He added that the company would pay 1.5 million CFA, for the victim to pay the remaining one million CFA. Chief Supt. Kwoffie said the victim then realised he had been duped and quickly reported the incident to the police. On September 8, Atkins called the victim again and told him that he had sent someone to bring him the money at the Tema roundabout. The victim informed the police about the new development; when Ezekiel approached the victim, he was arrested. Chief Supt Kwoffie stated that a search on Ezekiel revealed five local and one foreign phone chips, 100,000 CFA, two mobile phones and some identity cards. When interrogated, he told the police he was sent by one Serge Igodolo who gave the 100,000 CFA to him to be given to the victim. He said Ezekiel is currently in police custody assisting in investigations.