Woman Recounts Sad Story Of How She Was Duped N4m By Her Church Member

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A 66-year-old woman, Bimbo Shoremekun, on Friday narrated to a Gudu Upper Area Court, Abuja how she was allegedly duped of N4 million by a church member who posed as house agent. Shoremekun gave the account at the resumed trial of the "purported" house agent, Mary Nenger, 40, on charges of cheating preferred against her by the Police. The complainant (Shoremekun) who was being examined by the Police prosecution lawyer, Stephanie Abieyuwa, said that she met Nenger through one Chike Indigbo and discovered she was her church member.

"I needed a house to rent and Indigbo told me that the defendant was in charge of a house situated at Ontario Street, Maitama, Abuja‎. "The defendant claimed that the owner of the house resides in America and she has the mandate to rent it out. "We agreed on a rent of N4 million per annum and she told me to pay for two years. "She said that I can renovate the house to my taste and that I even have the option to buy the house if I so wish and have the money. "I paid the defendant N4 million through her lawyer, one Barrister Dayo on Dec. 5, 2014 and was issued with a receipt. "I felt assured and have no doubt in paying the money because the defendant is from my church,’’ Shoremekun told the court.

The complainant, who resides at Colorado close, Maitama Abuja, said she started suspecting foul play when she discovered that Indigbo who introduced her to the agent was an ex-convict. "From my findings, I discovered that Indigbo has just being released from Kuje prison and he was convicted for duping a client. "I was also told that Indigbo and the defendant are working as a syndicate. "I later found out that the defendant used my money to buy herself a car and also rented an apartment at Suncity Estate, Abuja,’’ she said.

Shoremekun said she confronted the defendant when she could not gain access to the property. She said she called the lawyer that she was no longer interested in the property and they should refund her money. Shoremekun said that the defendant confessed to the crime and wrote an undertaking to pay her the money on or before April 15. She said that when all the efforts she made to recover her money from the defendant proved abortive, she reported the case to the police. 

Meanwhile, the judge, Alhaji Umar kagarko, has adjourned the case till Jan. 8, 2016 for cross-examination of the witness and tendering of exhibits.