The Plateau State Police Command has arrested a 20-year-old suspect, Jonathan Sambo Bitrus, for allegedly defrauding a Point of Sale (PoS) operator of N1.55 million at Terminus Market in Jos.
The victim, Josephine Morolayo, told police that the suspect visited her shop requesting to check his account balance before asking to withdraw N1.95 million. She handed him the PoS machine to enter his PIN and subsequently gave him N1.55 million in cash, asking him to wait for her employer to return from the mosque for the remaining balance.
However, when her employer returned, it was discovered that the transaction receipt she relied on was from an earlier transaction carried out before the suspect arrived. By the time the discrepancy was noticed, the suspect had fled the scene.
During interrogation, Bitrus reportedly confessed that he accessed the victim’s transaction history when she handed him the machine. After spotting a previous N1.95 million transaction, he requested a withdrawal of the same amount from his empty account and cancelled the transaction while collecting the cash.
Police said the suspect also admitted using the stolen money to purchase an iPhone 13 Pro and clothing materials.
The command confirmed that investigations are ongoing as efforts continue to recover the stolen funds and conclude prosecution procedures.
