A tenant has been arrested by men of the Anambra State Police Command after he impersonated son of the dead landlord, obtained death certificate, other documents and attempted to use them to take over ownership of the houses and the bank accounts belonging to the landlord.
The tenant, Ikechukwu Igwegbe Ilodinru of Onneh village in Orumba South Local Government Area of Anambra State, was arrested by men of the B Division of the Nigerian Police Force, Awka, on Monday, August 17.
According to a statement by the state police command’s Public Relations Officer, Haruna Muhammed, a Superintendent of Police, the 43-year-old man was arrested and some documents which he had perfected to take possession of the houses and bank accounts were found on him.
According to the police spokesman: “On the 17/8/2020 at about 5:pm, police operatives attached to B’ Division Awka arrested one Ikechukwu Igwegbe Ilodinru, aged 43 years of Onneh village in Orumba South LGA of Anambra State, the tenant who impersonates son of the dead landlord.
“Suspect approached the probate registry of the State High Court Awka and started processing for a Letter of Administration in respect of a deceased person namely late Okafor Osuokwu Anthony.
“He presented himself as the deceased’s first and only son in order to obtain the documents which would have given him access to the deceased property, estates and bank accounts.
“Preliminary investigation revealed that the suspect equally swore to an oath under false pretence that he is the deceased’s biological son.
“The suspect also obtained a forged death certificate allegedly from the National Population Commission stating that the deceased whose actual death took place on 27th of July 2020 occurred on the 23rd of July 2020.
“He quickly rushed to Union Bank to withdraw the deceased’s deposit, but was advised to get a letter of administration.
“The suspect who voluntarily confessed to the crime was a tenant in the deceased’s house at Igboukwu and impersonated the deceased’s first son who lives in Zaria, Kaduna State.
“Meanwhile, exhibits recovered in his possession included forged dead certificate of the deceased, false sworn declaration as the deceased’s next of kin and sworn affidavit in the High Court, Awka.
“Investigation is ongoing after which the suspect would be charged to Court for prosecution.”
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