Client Accuses Union Bank Plc of Over N100m Illicit Transactions, Others

A corporate client of the Union Bank, Swiss International Beland Hotel, has written a strongly worded petition to the police, alleging fraudulent deductions, deactivation of an email and unauthorised transactions on its accounts domiciled in the bank.

In a petition to the Inspector General of Police, dated June 30, 2023 and signed by F.S. Abah & Associates, the petition reads: “Our services have been retained by SWISS INTERNATIONAL BELAND HOTEL OWERRI LIMITED Owerri, Imo State (hereinafter referred to as our Client) on whose instructions and authority we make this correspondence.

“Our client’s case is the recent discovery of monumental and unauthorised fraudulent deductions plus disregard for clear instructions noticed in its accounts domiciled with Union Bank Plc”.

Narrating the ordeal of his clients that started on 3rd April, 2023, the petition continues: “Our client (through its MD) authorised the transfer of the sum of Three Million Naira (N3,000,000.00) from account N0 0043302737 to 0175628266. This was for the urgent purchase of items for the running of the hotel. This instruction was never carried out by the bank. This refusal to honour an express instruction left our client in great strait and the operations of the hotel were practically brought to a halt.

“On April 7th, 2023, our client, (through its MD) gave another authorisation for the transfer of the sum of Three Million Naira (N3,000,000.00) from a/c 0171900126 to a/c 0175628266. This was in

preparation for a mega Easter event at the hotel. The bank refused and or neglected to honour this instruction, thereby leading to monumental loss of business and customers to our clients as our client could not meet up with its obligations to its customers.

“Deduction of the sum of Six Million Naira (N6,000,000.00) from account 0171900126. Our client noticed that the above sum was deducted from the above account despite the bank’s failure to honour its two previous authorisations. Our client NEVER authorized the removal of this money.

“Deduction of the sum of Twenty-Five Million Naira (N25, 000,000.00) from account N0. 0043302737. Our client is in receipt of a debit alert for the sum of Twenty-Five Million Naira (N25,000,000.00) from the above account. This is a fraudulent transaction which was NEVER authorised by our client”.

On noticing “the above infractions and fraud by the bank, we wrote a letter of complaint to the bank on the 11th of April 2023. On the 19th of April 2023, the sum of Six Million Naira (N6,000,000.00) from account 0171900126 was reversed and returned to our client’s account. On the 29th of April 2023, our client received a credit alerts for the sum of Eighty-Four Million, Forty Nine Thousand, Three Hundred and Sixty Five Naira, Ninety Two Kobo (N89,049,365.92) into its account N0 0043302737 and the said money was removed/deducted after some few minutes.

“In continuation of their illicit and illegal activities despite a clear instruction from the client for them to stay transactions especially on account N0 0043302737, the bank has continued to carry out questionable and illicit transactions on the said account.

“For a period of time now, our client discovered that the email connected to its bank transactions with your bank has been deactivated without its consent. It is our client’s firm belief that this is an attempt to cover up the fraud being perpetuated on its accounts and prevent him from being notified on time. Our client never at any material time instructed that its email be deactivated”.

It called on the police boss to wade into the matter to ensure justice; the petition noted that Union Bank has remained adamant in resolving the issue.