Crime
Court remands banker, three others in prison for allegedly defrauding bank of N2.05bn
An Ikeja High Court on Tuesday remanded a staff of Union Bank Plc, Danasabe Ibrahim, and three others in prison custody, for allegedly defrauding the bank of N2.05 billion.
The 47-year-old banker was arraigned alongside Salihu Mahmoud, 34; Friday Isaiah, 33; and Samuel Azaaior, 30, by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Justice Lateef Lawal-Akapo, ordered that the accused persons be remanded in Kirikiri Prison after the arraignment.
They are to remain in prison, pending the hearing of their bail applications fixed for Nov. 26.
Ibrahim gave his address as Union Bank Plc, Jos Market Branch in Plateau while Mahmoud lives at No. 339, Borno Way, Alagomeji, Yaba, Lagos.
Isaiah and Azaaior live at Fuduna and Rukabu areas of Jos, respectively.
The accused persons are facing a three-count charge of conspiracy to defraud, unauthorised access to computer and unauthorised modification of computer data.
The EFCC Counsel, Mr Kayode Oni, alleged that the accused persons had conspired with others (still at large) to commit the offences on Jan. 9.
Oni alleged that they had fraudulently transferred N2.05 billion from the General Ledger Account of the Jos Branch of Union Bank by hacking into the bank’s data base, known as Flexcube.
He also alleged that the money was transferred to Union Bank Plc accounts of Gona Bureau de Change and Dankawa Bureau de Change, domiciled in Marina and Moloney Street, Lagos.
According to him, other accounts credited with the money are Godswill Great Commodity Services, domiciled in Union Bank, Akure and ZHG Services Ltd., Abuja Branch.
Oni said their offences contravened Sections 323, 385 and 387 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State of Nigeria 2011.
NAN reports that the offence of conspiracy to defraud is punishable with a minimum of seven years imprisonment, if the accused are convicted.
The four accused persons pleaded not guilty to the charges. (NAN)