N197m fraud: Prosecution delays arraignment Of Formal Branch Manager Of New generation bank

The unpreparedness of the prosecution counsel in the matter against a female official of a new generation bank charged with the alleged theft of N197 million from a customer led to the adjournment of the matter to March 22, 2021 for arraignment.

When the matter came up on Monday, the prosecution counsel for the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Halidu Mohammed, appealed for the matter to be adjourned by one month to enable them amend their charges.

Lawyer to the branch manager, Olawunmi D. Audu, did not object to the appeal.

Justice A. O. Ebong conceded to the appeal and adjourned the matter to March 22, 2021 for arraignment.

Audu was on Monday docked at the Federal Capital Territory High Court, Zuba for allegedly abetting the theft the sum of N197, 200, 000 belonging to a customer and private company, De Chimex Aluminum and Steel Company Ltd.

The company, De Chimex Aluminum and Steel Company Ltd, also the nominal complainant in the matter had, had a lawyer, Wisdom Elum, in court.

The company’s lawyer, Wisdom Elum, said his client had approached the EFCC to investigate the matter during which it was allegedly revealed that a forged counter cheque was used to withdraw the said fund.

He alleged that the total amount illegally withdrawn from the account was to the tune of N354 million of which N80 million had been refunded.

He said the N197 million which they were being charged for was the amount for which forensic analysis has been carried out by the EFCC.