Kehinde Olatubosun uses drug prescription paper for corperate begging on HWN GIST

A 56-year-old man, Kehinde Olatubosun, has told police in Lagos that he made N10,000 daily begging at popular Ikeja roundabout with fake prescription sheet. Olatubosun is said to be one of those who use Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH) prescription sheets to deceive unsuspecting pedestrians and motorists on the pretext that they suffer ailments and could not afford the drugs prescribed by doctors. The suspect, who hails from Ibadan, Oyo State, said he made at least N300,000 monthly for one excuse or the other.

But he was arrested along with 18 other drug users at a joint at Ipodo, Ikeja by the Rapid Response Squad (RRS). An RRS decoy team had, on Friday night, traced a stolen phone to the joint, leading to the arrest of a three-man gang specialising in stealing mobile phones, three drug peddlers and 13 drug addicts. Speaking on the strategies used to get money from unsuspected pedestrians, Olatubosun said he operated at Mobolaji Bank Anthony roundabout, beside LASUTH, Toyin Street, Opebi and other parts of Ikeja.

According to him, he makes over N10,000 daily begging. He said: “Every day, I make over N10,000 daily doing corporate begging. All days of the week, I am always at Mobolaji Bank Anthony roundabout, Toyin Street roundabout and Opebi. At times, I collaborate with beggars.

Whatever we make, we share but I get a larger share. “What I do is that, I get LASUTH drug prescription paper. I get it from their waste bin. With this in my hand, I convince motorists, passengers and passers-by that I have a relative who is in dare need of money to buy drugs and I show them the prescription papers.

This is what I have been doing since I was deported from Germany in 2004. Before the deportation, I was working as electrical engineer in Bauhus, Germany Colon, Germany. I was in Germany for 12 years before I was deported.

I was in possession of drug when I was arrested in Germany, so they deported me. I have four children. Two are in Germany with my wife. One is in Texas in United States and another in Nigeria. “Unfortunately, all the money I make from this begging goes into drugs.

Day after day, I am always there, seven days a week. I make more money on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. I make more than N10,000 on weekends.” According to him, he was experiencing withdrawal symptoms which is the effect of not taking drugs for sometimes. He added:

I was at Ipodo drug joint, Ikeja when I was arrested. I was on drug when I was picked up. I have never been arrested for any offence before. I am praying that RRS release me. I promise I won’t go back to drug again. Where I live presently was given to me by my in-law.