Nigerian Bank Nigeria – EFCC Arraigns Nine Over Theft Of N188 Million Cheques

Source allAfrica.com: 14 January 2010

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in Lagos yesterday, arraigned a nine-member syndicate for allegedly stealing cheques worth N188 million. The accused persons who are facing an 11-count charge of conspiracy, stealing and attempted stealing at the Ikeja High Court, were alleged to have stolen N165 million bank cheques belonging to African Petroleum Plc.

They also allegedly stole a cheque worth N23 million belonging to the Lagos State government. The accused are Ray Uba, Felix Okoli, Onyebuchi Moses, Nojim Oshifade and Ini Noah. Others are Adebayo Okhio, Sesan Awonuga, Yemi Adegbuyi and Macdonald Nyeche. They were alleged to have committed the offences with four others at large – Timothy Adesanya, Victor Osawe, Kazeem Taimiyu and Adebowale Johnson sometime in August 2008. The EFCC told the court that the accused used an Access Bank dispatch rider, Ini Noah, engaged by AP and the Lagos State government, to lodge the cheques in their various bank accounts.

The commission said the accounts were opened in the name of Adebowale Johnson after they had converted the cheques to third party cheques. The offence, according to the EFCC, is contrary to Sections 516, 390 and 509 of the Criminal Code, Laws of Lagos State. The accused persons pleaded not guilty to the charges. Efforts to grant them bail failed, following the request of the commission for more time to respond to the bail application by their counsel.

Counsel to the defendants, Mr Olatunde Adedoyin and Mrs Okoro Chioma, had urged the court to grant their clients bail but the EFCC’s counsel, Mr Francis Usani, opposed the application. Justice Morenike Obadina ordered the suspects to be remanded in Kirikiri medium prison till Feb. 2 when the bail application would be heard.

Nigerian Bank Nigeria