BY AKINWALE ABOLUWADE, IBADAN
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Ibadan Zonal Office, has arraigned Amusa Odunmide, an ex-banker, before Justice Uche Agomo of the Federal High Court sitting in Ibadan, Oyo State capital on eight counts bordering on forgery, defrauding and stealing to the tune of N3,200,000 million.
Wilson Uwujaren, Head, Media and Publicity to EFCC, said luck ran out on the 30-year-old former staff of the new generation bank when the Commission received a petition alleging fraudulent withdrawal of over N3million from a customer’s account by the defendant.
One of the charges read in parts, “That Amusa Aminat Odunmide, between the 16th day of April 2018 and 6th of July 2018, as a bank officer of Fidelity Bank and as the Account Officer to Azeez Ibrahim Alao, in Ibadan within the jurisdiction of this Court, fraudulently stole a total sum of N2, 033, 360 from the personal account of Azeez Alao and deposited same into Fidelity Bank Account Number 6590137413 and Account Number 0020919795.”
She was alleged to have committed an offence contrary to section 390(9) of the Criminal Code Cap C38 Laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (Revised Edition) 2007 along with section 1(1) (d) of the Failed Bank (Recovery of Debts) and Financial Malpractice in Bank Cap F2 Laws of Federation of Nigeria (Revised Edition) 2007.
She, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge.
Prosecuting counsel, Chidi Okoli, asked the court to fix a date for trial while being remanded in the custody of the Nigerian Correctional Services.
In a related development, the Commission secured the conviction of one Ajanaku Qudus Akorede, a.k.a Rachel Kate, before Justice Oluremi Oguntoyinbo of the Federal High Court, Abeokuta.
His conviction was based on a one-count amended charge of fraudulent impersonation, contrary to Section 22 (2) and punishable under Section 22 (2)(b)(iv) of the Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention Etc) Act, 2015.
Ajanaku was jailed for one month while being ordered to restitute his victim of the money that he fraudulently obtained.
He is also to forfeit all the items recovered from him, to the Federal Government of Nigeria.
