Fake Certificate Screening Exercise: Police Arrest Sapele LG Chairman’s Aide, Councilor
LAGOS AUGUST 30TH (URHOBOTODAY)-The Supervisory Councillor for Finance and Education, Sapele Local Government, Mr. Eric Ojuromu (AKA Elume inspector) and the Special Adviser to the Sapele Local Government Chairman, Joseph Okpereogho are presently cooling off at the Delta State Police headquarters, Asaba for allegedly defrauding some primary school teachers from the Sapele council area through a fake screening exercise.
Ojuromu and Okpereogho it was gathered were caught in the act and arrested on Tuesday morning right at the Sapele council secretariat by men of the State Police command and immediately taken to Asaba where they are currently being detained.
They were alleged to be counting to confirm the sum of Five Hundred Thousand naira brought by one of the primary school teachers (name withheld) from Okotie-Eboh Primary School, Sapele, when the Police swooped on them.
Investigation revealed that Ojuromu embarked on the fraudulent screening exercise by telling some of the primary school teachers who are being owed months salary that they have fake certificates and demand for varied amounts of money to cover for them without verification by the issuing authorities.
Our reporter gathered that most of the victims of Ojuromu though have genuine certificates but are afraid to confront him.
Luck however ran out of him and Okpereogho, when the teacher from Okotie-Eboh primary school, Sapele, who was confident of the certificates she parade summoned courage to petition the Police on the matter, after she appeared before the Ojuromu screening panel and was told she posses fake certificate.
With the Police working under cover, she took with her the sum of Five Hundred Thousand naira demanded by Ojuromu to the council secretariat which led to their arrest.
With the glaring evidence, the Chairman of Sapele Local Government, Chief Ejaife Odebala, it was learnt made effort to persuade the Police not to effect the arrest of Ojuromu and Okpereogho involved in the fake primary school teachers’ screening exercise. Okpereogho who just retaired as a class room teacher further investigation revealed is known for such frauds in time past and he is alleged to be fronting for the council chairman who is also believed to be deeply involved in the dubious act.
When contacted on phone, the Delta State Police Public Relations Officer, SP Celestina Kalu said she was yet to have knowledge of the arrest but requested for follow-up calls on details about the matter.
The Divisional Police Officer for Sapele Police Station, Badaru Musa on his part confirmed the arrest of Eric Ojuromu and Joseph Okpereogho by men of the force headquarters Asaba.
