Fraud: How Two Bankers Stole Millions From Dead Account| AgegePulse Magazine

 

By Ayodele Ifasakin 

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission EFCC, Uyo Zonal Command, has secured the conviction of two bank officials, Daniel Akpan Eno and Mbuk Idongesit before Justice Edem Ita Kufre of the Cross River State High Court, Calabar for conspiracy and theft of funds in the account of a deceased customer of a commercial bank.

The duo were convicted on Wednesday August 4, 2021 after pleading guilty  to separate one count charge bordering  on criminal conspiracy and fraudulent transfers. A third defendant, and alleged accomplice, Victor John Okon pleaded “not guilty”. His trial was adjourned till August 10, 2021 for consideration of bail application.

Justice Kufre convicted and sentenced Akpan to three months imprisonment  with an option of fine of Fifty Thousand Naira (N50, 000.00), while Idongesit was sentenced to three months imprisonment with an option of Thirty Thousand Naira (N30, 000.00) fine.

The convicts’ journey to prison started on May 23, 2021 when Idongesit (alongside one Utibe George- currently at large) approached Akpan with the burial programme of one Godfried Godwin Osso, a deceased customer of the Bank, whom George(at large) claimed was his step - father, with a plot to steal from the deceased’s account.

On May 24, 2021, George concluded the deal with the convicts and also contacted a Teller (Victor Okon – the 3rd defendant) from another branch of the bank to ease access to the funds in the account of the deceased. A 50% sharing formula was agreed upon by the conspirators and the plot was executed.

The commission waded in following a petition from the bank, alleging suspicious dissipation of monies in the deceased account into the accounts of family members and acquaintances, from where they were diverted to personal use.

 Investigation revealed that on June 19, 2019 Victor Okon connived with George Ifiok Utibe (at large) and received the sum of One Million Five Hundred Thousand Naira (N1, 500, 000.00). Daniel Akpan also benefited the sum of One Million and Forty Thousand Naira (N1, 040, 000.00) while Godwin Mbuk benefited the sum of One Hundred and Thirty Thousand Naira (N130, 000.00) only

The judge ordered the convicts remanded at the Nigerian Correctional facility until they pay their fines, while Victor was remanded at the Commission’s detention facility pending the hearing of his bail application.

Soldier stabs undergraduate over debt in Lagos

Oluwatosin Omojuyigbe

The family of a 27-year-old undergraduate student of the Lagos State Polytechnic, Abraham Enebeli, has demanded justice after he was allegedly stabbed by a soldier.

PUNCH Metro learnt that Abraham was allegedly stabbed in the Ijegun area of Lagos on Saturday by a soldier attached to the Ojo Military Cantonment.

It was gathered that the military official, identified as Daniel Martins, allegedly broke a bottle and stabbed Abraham in the neck during an argument between the two.

Abraham’s brother, Paul Enebeli, who spoke to PUNCH Metro, said Martins was hired by one Chukwudi.

Paul said, “Trouble started early August when Abraham owed Chukwudi about N150,000.

“Abraham said some people defrauded him; but Chukwudi brought six uniformed army officers to our house.

“My brother was beaten up, my mum was injured and they attempted to take one of my brothers away. Some guys intercepted them. They threatened to keep coming back until my brother paid the money.

“There was an agreement among Abraham, my elder brother, the soldiers and Chukwudi that since they injured a lot of people in the process of getting the money back, the money would not be paid back in full. They agreed that my brother would pay N85,000.

“However, one of the soldiers kept harassing my brother. Yesterday (Saturday), the soldier was on a motorcycle with another friend, who knew my brother.

“My brother and that friend greeted each other. The soldier called my brother, but he refused to answer. That got him infuriated. He got off his motorcycle and pushed my brother.

“There was a heated argument between them and the next thing he did was to pick a bottle. He broke it and stabbed my brother in the neck. Immediately, he sped off on the motorcycle.”

When PUNCH Metro contacted Chukwudi, he denied sending the soldier to Abraham, adding that the said money belonged to the military official.

He said, “I was not around when the incident happened. The money is not mine; it belongs to the soldier.

“I was at home some months ago when the soldier called me that he had some Amazon cards to sell and I told him that I had someone that traded in such things.

“He gave me the cards and I gave them to Abraham’s elder brother, Solomon, to sell. The cards are worth N175,000.

“When Solomon was to pay for the cards, I gave him the account number that he would transfer the money to, but he kept procastinating.

“It got to a point that he stopped taking my calls. He later told me that he would transfer the money to Abraham, who would later transfer it to me.

“After 30 minutes, Abraham called me that he was held by some SARS operatives when he was going to an ATM to withdraw and that they had collected the money from him.

“I was surprised when he said he was going to the ATM to withdraw because what I told them was to transfer the money to my account. There was no agreement between us that they should pay N85,000.

“The soldier was on mufti yesterday (Saturday) and I was told that Abraham talked to him anyhow. He hit the soldier on the chest, which got him pissed off.

“The soldier collected a bottle from someone and Abraham dared him to stab him. I think the soldier felt embarrassed and that was why he stabbed him.”

The Army Public Relations Officer, 81 Division, Lt. Col. Olaolu Daudu, promised to investigate the incident.

He said, “Whether the suspect is an impersonator or not, his action has indicted the military one way or the other. There is the need to make investigations to clear things up. Also, if he is an impostor, he will be arrested and handed over to the police, who will carry out investigations. But if he is a military man, he will be dealt with and later handed over to the police because it is a civil matter.”