EFCC Arraigns Banker For $50,000, N9.2m Fraud
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Lagos Zonal office, on Thursday, March 7, 2019, arraigned one Anieka Udoh before Justice Saliu Seidu of the Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos on a five-count charge bordering on conversion of funds for personal use and stealing.
Udoh, an employee of Ecobank Plc, was charged alongside his employer, Ecobank Plc.
However, when the case was called up, the first defendant, Ecobank Plc, had no legal representative.
The prosecution counsel, Bilkisu Buhari, told the court that she had “Proof of Service” of the charge served on the bank.
Consequently, Justice Seidu ordered the second defendant to take his plea.
One of the counts reads: “That you, Ecobank Plc and one Anieka Udoh, whilst being an employee of Eco Bank Plc sometime in 2009, at Lagos within the jurisdiction of the Honourable court, negligently failed to exercise due diligence in relation to conduct of financial transactions with Major General Umaru Mohammed and fraudulently converted Major General Umaru Mohammed’s Ecobank MasterCard Account No. 0015052989 from debit card to credit card and consequently debited Major General Umaru Mohammed’s account in the sum of over USD 50,000 (Fifty Thousand United States Dollars) without the knowledge and authority of Major General Umaru Mohammed.”
Another count reads: “That you, Ecobank Plc and one Anieka Udoh, whilst being an employee of Eco Bank Plc sometime in 2009, at Lagos within the jurisdiction of the Honourable court, negligently failed to exercise due diligence in relation to conduct of financial transactions with Major General Umaru Mohammed and fraudulently converted Major General Umaru Mohammed’s Ecobank Domiciliary account to Naira account Number 0015052989 without the knowledge and authority of Major General Umaru Mohammed and consequently left a debit of N9.2Million in the said Naira account.”
The second defendant, Udoh, pleaded not guilty to the charge when it was read to him.
In view of the defendant’s plea, the prosecution counsel, Buhari, asked the court for a trial date and prayed the court to remand him in prison custody.
Counsel to the second defendant, O.J. Owoh, told the court that he had yet to file a bail application due to the fact that he received the charge two days ago.
He also prayed the court to remand his client in the EFCC custody pending the filing and service of the bail application.
Justice Seidu adjourned the case to March 12, 2019 for commencement of trial and ordered the defendant to be remanded in prison custody.
Meanwhile, the EFCC, Ibadan Zonal Office, on Thursday, March 7, 2019 secured the conviction of Adegbola Kazeem Aina (a.k.a Marry Linson), Babarinde Jacob (a.k.a Rhonda Luna), Sokoya Oluwaseyi and Mufutau Yusuf Akorede.
They were each convicted of one-court charge bordering on impersonation and sending of pornographic and indecent pictures.
The trio of Adegbola, Babarinde and Sokoya were tried by Hon. Justice Watilat Ibrahim of the Federal High Court 2, Abeokuta, Ogun State, who found them guilty of their individual offences, convicted and sentenced them to prison.
But Mufutau’s conviction was pronounced by Hon. Justice S. M. Abubakar of the Federal High Court 1, Abeokuta, Ogun State. The judge held that the prosecution proved the case against him beyond every reasonable doubt.
The first, second and third convicts were initially arraigned on December 10, 2018, while the fourth convict was arraigned on December 11, 2018. They, however, opted to plea guilty to the charges preferred against them.
Justice Ibrahim convicted and sentenced Adegbola to five months imprisonment with effect from the date of his arrest, and also ordered that he shall restitute through the Federal Republic of Nigeria to his victims, the sum of $1, 080 US Dollars, Phone and Laptop being proceeds from his fraudulent acts.
Babarinde was convicted and sentenced to four months imprisonment, also with effect from the date of his arrest, and shall forfeit and restitute the sum of $250 US Dollars and his iphone 7 to the Federal Government of Nigeria, being part of the proceeds derived from his fraudulent acts.
Sokoya, however, bagged four months imprisonment starting from the date of his arrest.
After declaring him guilty as charged, Justice Abubarka consequently convicted and sentenced Mufutau to four months imprisonment, ordering that he forfeit his phone and $140 US Dollars to the Federal Government, being proceeds of his crime.