Man on the run after allegedly defrauding MoMo vendor of GH¢13,000 and losing it on Aviator

A young man is being sought by police after allegedly defrauding a mobile money vendor of GH¢13,000 and staking the funds on a betting platform, according to a report by Crime Check News.

The suspect, identified as Samuel Atapika, is reported to have carried out the incident at Boabakrom, a community near Ketan in the Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolis of the Western Region.

The victim, Alimatu Asuntam, recounted the incident during an interview on Connect FM’s Omanbapa Morning Show, hosted by Nhyiraba Paa Kwesi Simpson. She explained that the suspect, whom she knew as a regular customer, approached her under the pretext of making a business transaction.

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“He was very nice that day and even gave me GH¢100. Later, he claimed his boss had asked him to purchase some items and requested that I transfer GH¢13,000 into his account, assuring me the money would be sent shortly,” she said.

Trusting his explanation, she proceeded with the transfer. However, she later noticed that the suspect remained at her shop for several hours, constantly engaged on his phone. During that period, a bystander suggested he was actively betting on Aviator, a claim she initially did not understand.

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“After some time, he said he wants to respond to nature's call and that I give him one cedi to pay for it. I insisted he settle the money before leaving, but he suddenly bolted and has not been seen since,” she added.

Further checks within the community, according to the report, suggest the suspect may be involved in similar schemes and is allegedly addicted to betting. The victim believes the entire amount may have been lost on the Aviator platform before he fled.

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The case has since been reported to the police, who have launched a manhunt as investigations continue.