Court Remands Ecobank Manager Over Alleged N411m Fraud

TRACKING>>Justice Ayotunde Faji of the Federal High Court in Lagos yesterday remanded a manager with the Ecobank Plc, Ifeanyi Chukwu Azike in prison for allegedly defrauding some of the bank’s customers of the sum of N411 million.

Justice Faji gave the order after the banker was arraigned before him on a three count-charge of obtaining money under false pretence, false representation and fraud by the Lagos State Police Command.

The police, which accused Azike of committing the offence 2016 and 2017, claimed that he fraudulently obtained the sum of about N150 million from one Okafor Ikenna Kelvin a customer with Account number

0533010936, under the false pretence of buying him Federal Government Treasury Bill in his Bank.

The police also alleged that the accused person forged the customer’s Signature, Picture, Letter of Instruction with which he opening another parallel account as Ikenna Okafor Kelvin with account number: 5333063028.

The police further alleged that the accused person without the consent of the bank, fraudulently converted the sum of N411 million belonging to the bank to his personal use.

The offences according to the prosecutor, Daniel Apochi, are contrary to sections 1 (1) (a), 15(1)(2) and 15(2)of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud related Offence Act No. 14 of 2006, and punishable under Section 1 (3) of the same Act.

Apochi also maintained that the offence is contrary to and punishable under section 1(2)(2) of the miscellaneous Act. Cap. M17, laws of the federation of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended).