The owner of Star Shawarma, Ato Mnena Anita, recently recounted her detainment and court charges after a dispute with a customer who happens to be an EFCC staff member.
Anita was picked up at her business place, Star Shawarma on Kashim Ibrahim Road Makurdi, the Benue State capital, on May 6, 2020. The misunderstanding arose after her accountant reported that a customer, who was an EFCC staff, had transferred N1,500 instead of the expected N1,500 for the delivery of Parfait Yorghourt.
It was later discovered that the customer had actually made a transfer of N1,600 instead of N1,500. However, Anita claims that she was berated at the EFCC Makurdi Zonal office and was accused of embarrassing their staff and damaging their image.
According to Anita, the saga began when a customer ordered for Parfait Yorghourt at the cost of N1,500 and a delivery fee of N100, leading to a total payment of N1,600. The payment was made on April 9, but Anita’s establishment was only expecting a transfer of N1,500. When the discrepancy was noticed, she promptly apologized to the EFCC staff. However, this led to her apprehension by over 10 armed men on May 6. She was taken to the EFCC office, interrogated, and detained until late in the evening.
Anita also revealed that she was asked to return to the EFCC office the following day for further questioning, during which she was interrogated about why the incident was publicized on social media. She claimed that she did not have access to her phone after her arrest.
Furthermore, Anita alleged that she was kept in a cockroach-infested room despite having asthma. She expressed her distress at the situation and stated that her ordeal is ongoing, as her manager has been asked to report back for further interrogation.
Anita stressed that she had never been involved in any criminal case before and expressed her dismay at being charged with attempted fraud in this instance.
Mnena and Ukan Kurugh