Expatriate arrested in kidnap scam
09 Nov 2010
Really, the white guy never had a chance
Pandemonium broke out in Port Harcourt on Monday as two men, one black and the other white, dealt each other serious blows in the middle of Rumuokoro market. On-lookers watched with amusement as the men stripped themselves naked, proving once again that amongst the different races, we have more similarities than differences.
The Rivers State Police arrested the men after a concerned citizen walked over to the Police Station to alert them of the incident. After tear-gassing the whole market, the attending policemen arrested the men. They were charged with indecently exposing themselves in a public place. During the course of a friendly conversation at the Police Headquarters, the white man who identified himself as Tom Smith, admitted that he and the other man, Princewill Ikiriko, had plotted to defraud Afren in a kidnapper for hire scheme.
Mr. Smith who has been working in Nigeria for the past 18 months at an offshore oilrig operated by the exploration firm Afren, stated that he and Mr. Ikiriko had agreed to share the 500,000 USD paid as ransom for his release. Mr. Smith stated that upon receiving the money, Mr. Ikiriko did not want to remit his share of the money as previously agreed. Mr. Ikiriko denied any such arrangements between himself and Mr. Smith. He further stated that that he had just been minding his own business when Mr. Smith walked up to him and dealt him a dirty slap.
Both men were arraigned before the newly demoted Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Justice Dan Abutu, who had been posted to Port Harcourt Magistrate Court. Justice Abutu passed down a sentence of 15 years in jail each on the counts of indecent exposure and fraud. The jail terms were to be served consecutively.
A red-faced Mr. Smith, who was representing himself, appealed the sentence. He pointed out to the court that a bank official, Mrs. Cecelia Ibru, who admitted to stealing $1.2 billion was only handed a jail term of six months. A stern looking Justice Abutu advised Mr. Smith that he had decided to hand the heavier sentence because, while the amount of money stolen by Mrs. Ibru was astronomical, it was chicken change compared to what was been stolen in Abuja everyday. Justice Abutu further stated that it was expatriates like Mr. Smith that give other expatriates a bad name, and for this crime he needed to see the red eye of Lady Justice. Mr. Smith’s appeal was then turned down.
Reporting from Port Harcourt, Rivers State - Ms. Waka-Waka for Wazobia Reports.