Operatives of the School Peace Initiative (SPI) at the Akwa Ibom State Polytechnic (Akwa Poly), Ikot Osurua in Ikot Ekpene local government area, have arrested one Pastor Duff Donald Idara, a suspected fraudster running a syndicate that fleeces unsuspecting students.
LEADERSHIP gathered yesterday that the ring leader, who operates the King David Youths Outreach fellowship at 16, Elder Simon Street, Mile 4, in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, was arrested following a tip-off by some students, who reported his nefarious activities to the SPI operatives.
It was also learnt that the cleric, who doubles as a student of the institution, had been in the habit of posing as a facilitating agent for admission seekers, accommodation and other illicit deals to defraud new students in the school.
“We arrested him following a tip-off from some of his victims, whom he defrauded of various sums of money on the pretext of securing accommodations, admissions and other illicit transactions to them to no avail. The eagle-eyed SPI team apprehended and handed him to the dean, Students Affairs, Mr. Emmanuel Umoh.
“The fraudster, who is an HND student of the institution, met his waterloo when he attempted to sneak into the institution for his project defence. He had defrauded two students of the institution of various sums of money including a member of his fellowship.
“Aside from other crimes, the so-called pastor, according to some victims, also offered to sell laptops and collected part of the cash of N50,000. He also defrauded another victim of N45,000 with the assurance of procuring accommodation for him, but disappeared. So, when he sneaked in to defend his project, we got a tip from the victims and swooped on him,” an operative said.
After interrogation by the SPI, the suspect, it was learnt, confessed, saying he took to crimes in order to settle his house rent and that of his church in Port Harcourt.
The dean of Students Affairs, Mr. Emmanuel Umoh, expressed disappointment at the bad image the suspect had brought to the school and directed the SPI unit to hand him over to the police at Ikot Ekpene Area Command for prosecution.
