By ALBERT AKPOR

The police in Lagos have arrested a middle-aged man for attempting to cash a stolen cheque. The suspect identified as Akeem Raheem, was nabbed in the banking hall of one of the second generation banks in Awaye industrial estate, Coker along Lagos/ Badagry expressway after he allegedly submitted the stolen cheque with a driver’s license belonging to one Akpan Ime.

Sources said the cashier promptly alerted the police after taking a closer look at the cheque valued N200,000.00, the driver’s license and the man whose facial look was totally different from the one on the license. He was immediately arrested and taken to Orile police station for further interrogation.

It was gathered that the suspect later owned up to the crime by confessing that he was a tricycle driver popularly known as Keke Marwa adding that the exhibits recovered from him were in a bag forgotten in his tricycle.

He said he had even forged an identity card which bore the name on the cheque, stressing that it was after the cashier insisted that she could not pay him with the ID card, that he had to bring out the drivers license even though he knew that it does not bear his photograph.

According to sources, police detectives at the Orile Division later contacted Mr. Akpan Ime on his GSM number found in one of the documents only to discover that he was actually dispossessed of his belongings by some armed gang while leaving Lagos for Akwa Ibom state.

It was further gathered that Mr. Ime who has spent all his life in Akwa Ibom state was visiting Lagos for the first time on the invitation of an unnamed uncle who issued the cheque to him.

The state police public relations officer, Mr. Samuel Jinadu when contacted said the matter was under investigation and warned members of the public to be cautious of their belongings especially when alighting from a bus or attempting to board one. He assured that the cheque and other items found on the suspect would be handed over to the owner after due confirmation.