A Beninese cook identified as Samuel Tchiki has been arrested alongside his compatriots for stealing a politician’s $22,000 in Abuja.
The suspects stole the safe the money was in, vandalised it before embarking on a shopping spree with the money. Other suspects arrested for the theft include Francis Kpohouede, George Akinto, Donald Tokpe, Honore Tokpe and Emmanuel Savi and the police only recovered $13,000 from them as they reportedly bought television sets, sound systems, generators and other domestic appliances with stolen money.
Tchiki has been living in Nigeria since 2008 and reportedly moved to Abuja because of poor salary after working in a hotel in Cross River State.
“When my boss, Casmir Anyanwu, travelled, I got my friends to carry the safe from his room and we took it to Mpape, where we opened it. We found $22,000, which we shared. I gave my brother $600. I spent my share on clothes and home appliances. I don’t know what got into me; I can’t say why I stole the money,” Tchiki told Punch.
FCT’s Commissioner of Police Bala Ciroma, advised Nigerians to carry out background checks on domestic workers before employing them as he paraded the suspects who have all confessed to the crime.
