Thursday, 19 February 2015

Banker allegedly steals N25m from depositors’ accounts






The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arraigned a banker for stealing money from depositors’ accounts to the tune of N25, 350,000. It was gathered that the banker, formerly a marketing officer with Fidelity Bank, allegedly dipped his hands into nine accounts of different customers.

But the worst-hit victim lost N21,710,000 to him. The accused, Friday Yahaya alias Peter Arikhan, was arraigned before Justice Lawal Akapo of the Lagos State High Court sitting at Ikeja, on a 16-count charge bordering on stealing, impersonation and forgery. He, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges.

The Head, Media and Publicity, EFCC, Wilson Uwujaren, said: “Yahaya, a former marketing ‘staff’ of Fidelity Bank, Balogun Business Association branch, Trade Fair Complex, Lagos, allegedly defrauded nine customers of the bank through diversion of their deposits into his personal account with the bank.”

One of the charges reads: “Friday Yahaya (Peter Arikhan) sometime between the months of February and November 2013, at Lagos within the Ikeja Judicial Division, whilst being a staff of Fidelity Bank Plc, stole the sum of N21,710,000 from account number 6050729408 maintained by Ifeanyi Okoye, property of Fidelity Bank Plc.”

Akapo adjourned the matter till March 11 for hearing of defence bail application and ordered the accused to be Yahaya remanded in Ikoyi Prison.


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