A Federal High Court in Ikoyi, Lagos, has ordered the remand of Ifeanyi Chukwu Azike, a manager of Ecobank Plc, over allegations of defrauding one of the bank’s customers to the tune of N411million.
Azike was arraigned before Justice Ayotunde Faji on Tuesday, by the Special Fraud Unit (SFU) of the Nigeria Police Force on a three-count charge bordering on obtaining money under false pretences, false representation and fraud.
The charge signed by ASP Daniel Aporchi, marked FHC/L/56c/2019, alleged that the Ecobank manager, fraudulently obtained the sum of N150million from one Okafor Ikenna Kelvin, owner of the bank account number, 0533010936.
Azike allegedly received the money between 2016 and 2017, under the pretext of buying the customer a Federal Government Treasury Bill in his bank.
Azike was also alleged to have forged the bank customer’s signature and a letter of instruction, which he used to open another parallel account as Ikenna Okafor Kelvin, with account number: 5333063028.
The Police also alleged that the bank manager, without the consent of the bank, fraudulently converted the sum of N411million belonging to the customer, to his personal use.
The offences, according to the prosecutor, Daniel Apochi, contradicts the provision of Section 1(1)(a), 15(1)(2) and 15(2) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act No. 14 of 2006, and punishable under Section 1(3) of the same Act.
The offence is also said to be contrary to the provisions of section 1(2)(2) of the miscellaneous Act. Cap. M17, laws of the federation of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended).
The charge sheet, sighted by SaharaReporters, read: “That you lfeanyi Chukwu Azike ‘M’ sometime in 2016 and 2017, in Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this Federal High Court with intent to defraud, obtained the sum of N150,000,000.00 (One Hundred and Fifty Million Naira) from Mr Okafor Ikenna Kelvin, a customer of Ecobank Plc with Account No: 533010936 from your employer, by falsely representing to him that you are going to purchase Federal Government Treasury Bill in Ecobank Nigeria Plc for him as Bank Manager, which representation you knew to be false or did not believe to be true and by this conduct, you thereby committed an offence, contrary to Section 1(1)(a) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act No. 14 6V2006, but punishable under Section 1 (3) of the same Act.
“That you Ifeanyi Chukwu Azike ’M’ sometime between 2016 and 2017, in Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this Federal High Court did forge Signature, Picture, Letter of Instruction to open another parallel account as Ikenna Okafor Kelvin, account number: 5333063028, knowing it to be false or with intent that it may in anyway be used or acted upon as genuine, whether in Nigeria or elsewhere to the prejudice of Ikenna Okafor Kelvin and Ecobank Plc your employer, you thereby committed an offence, contrary to Section 1(2)(c) of the Miscellaneous Offences Act, CAP M17 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended).
“That you Ifeanyi Chukwu Azike ’M’ on or about 2016 and 2017, in Lagos, within the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court, did fraudulent convert to your use the sum of N411,000,000.00 (four hundred and eleven million Naira) being money fraudulently withdraw from your employer bank without their consent, and customer of your bank, Ecobank Plc for enabling you invest on behalf of the Customer, which you failed to deliver with the aim of converting the illicit origin of the resources and you thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 15(1)(2) and 15(2) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011.”
The defendant pleaded not guilty to the charge.
Following his plea of not guilty, the prosecutor urged the court to remand him in prison custody pending trial.
Consequently, Justice Faji ordered that the defendant be remanded in prison custody, while he adjourned till March 8, for trial.
The judge also fixed the date for hearing of his bail application.
