The Plateau State Police Command has arrested a 20-year-old man, Jonathan Sambo Bitrus, from Bauchi State, for allegedly defrauding a Point of Sale (POS) operator of ₦1,550,000 at Terminus Market.
According to the victim, Josephine Morolayo, who works as a POS attendant at the market, the suspect initially approached her under the pretense of checking his account balance. Shortly after, he requested to withdraw ₦1,950,000.
Trusting the request, she processed the transaction and handed over the POS machine for him to input his PIN. Believing the transaction had gone through successfully, she gave him ₦1,550,000 in cash and asked him to wait for her employer, who had stepped out to the mosque, to provide the remaining ₦400,000.
It was only after her boss returned that the deception came to light. Upon reviewing the receipt, she realized it was from an earlier transaction conducted before the suspect arrived. By then, the suspect had already disappeared with the cash.
During interrogation, the suspect reportedly confessed to exploiting the situation. He admitted that while handling the POS machine, he accessed the victim’s transaction history and noticed a previous transaction of ₦1,950,000. He then requested the same amount to make the transaction appear legitimate, despite knowing his account balance was insufficient. He further disclosed that he cancelled the transaction after collecting the money.
Confirming the incident, the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Alfred Alabo, said the suspect was apprehended shortly after the case was reported. He added that the suspect confessed to the crime and revealed that he used the stolen money to purchase an iPhone 13 Pro and clothing.
The suspect is currently in police custody and will be charged to court in due course.
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