Before today’s adjournment, customers of one of the loose and fraudulent financial institutions in Nigeria have been running helter-skelter as fraud worth over N203m rocks the bank.
Meanwhile, the presiding Judge of Federal high court sitting in Lagos south west Nigeria, Justice Peter Lifu has adjourned till 19th of January, 2023, for the trial of four accused persons alleged to have defrauded Standard Chartered Bank to the tune of N223,865,708.08 to commence.
According to four count amended charge filed before the court, by the Police legal team E.A. Jackson, Henry Obiazi, and Justin Enang from the Legal Department of Police Special Fraud Unit 13, Milverton Road Ikoyi Lagos, the four defendants Jeffery Akhimiem, George Emeka Nwachukwu, Oluchi Nwachukwu who has been arraigned before the court were alleged to have conspired amongst themselves to commit felony, to wit: obtaining the sum of N223,865,708.08 from Standard Chartered Bank Nigeria Limited. Aromire, Branch Ikeja Lagos through its officers and thereby committed an offense contrary to section 8(a) of the Advance Fee Fraud and other fraud related offences Act 14 of2006, but punishable under section 1(3) of the same Act.
The presiding Judge Peter Lifu admitted them to bail, having pleaded not guilty to the charge when they were arraigned.
The four count amended charge number FHC/L/172C/2022 dated 4th April 2022 filed before the court by the Police Legal team as stated below.
THE AMENDED CHARGE
COUNT 1
That you, Jeffery Akhimien, George Emeka Nwachukwu, Oluchi Nwachukwu, and Others still at large, sometimes between January and December 2020 at Ikeja, Lagos State, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, did conspire amongst yourselves to commit a felony, to wit: Obtaining the sum of N203,865,708.08 (Two Hundred and Three Million, Eight Hundred and Sixty Five Thousand, Seven Hundred and Eight Naira, Eight Kobo) from Standard Chartered Bank Nigeria Ltd. Aromire Branch, Ikeja, Lagos, through its officers and staff and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 8(a) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act No. 14 of 2006, but punishable under Section I (3) of the same Act.
COUNT 2:
That you, Jeffery Akhimien, George Emeka Nwachukwu, Oluchi Nwachukwu, and Others still at large, sometimes between January December, 2020, at Ikeja, Lagos within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did, by false pretence and with intent to defraud, obtained the sum of N203,865,708.08 (Two Hundred and Three Million, Eight Hundred and Sixty Five Thousand, Seven Hundred and Eight Naira, Eight Kobo) from Standard Chartered Bank Nigeria Ltd, Aromire Branch, Ikeja, by falsely representing to the said Standard Chartered Bank Nig. Ltd, through its officers and staff that all members of staff of Systemtech Services Ltd, needed loans from Standard Chartered Bank Nig. Ltd and that the said staff authorized you to approach the Bank and negotiate for the loans on their behalf and that the salaries and grade levels of all the staff qualified them for the loans and that the loan was meant to assist them solve their individual financial needs and that they had the means, ability and capacity to pay back the loans as at when due, which representations you knew to be false or did not believe to be true or which you made recklessly, and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 1(1)(a) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act No. 14 of 2006 but punishable under Section 1 (3) of the same Act.
COUNT 3:
That you, Jeffery Akhimien, George Emeka Nwachukwu, Oluchi Nwachukwu, and Others still at large, sometimes between January and December 2020 at Ikeja, Lagos State, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did convert to your own use and benefit, the sum of
N203,865,708.08 (Two Hundred and Three Million, Eight Hundred and Sixty Five Thousand, Seven Hundred and Eight Naira, Eight Kobo)property of Standard Chartered Bank Nigeria Ltd, Aromire Branch, Ikeja, Lagos, which sum you knew or reasonably ought to have known, was the proceed of an unlawful act, to wit: obtaining money by false pretences from Standard Chartered Bank Nigeria Ltd, Aromire Branch, Ikeja, Lagos, and thereby committed an offence, punishable under Section 15 (2)(b) of the Money Laundering(Prohibition) Act, 2011 as Amended in 2012.
COUNT 4:
That you, Oluchi Nwachukwu, sometimes between January and December 2020 at Ikeja, Lagos State, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did convert to your own use and benefit, the sum of N20,000,000.00 (Twenty Million Naira) property of Standard Chartered Bank Nigeria Ltd, Aromire Branch, Ikeja, Lagos, which sum you knew or reasonably ought to have known, was the proceed of an unlawful act, to wit: obtaining money by false pretences from Standard Chartered Bank Nigeia Ltd.Ikeja, Lagos, and thereby committed an offence, punishable under 15(2)(b) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011as amended in 2012.
Count 5
That you Abidemi Thomas sometimes between January and December, 2020,at Ikeja, Lagos State, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did convert to your own use and benefit, the sum of N20,000,000.00 (Twenty Million Naira) property of Standard Chartered Bank Nigeria Limited Aromire Branch, Ikeja – Lagos, which sum you ought to have known, was the proceed of an unlawful act, to wit: Obtaining by by false pretences from Standard Chartered Bank Nigeria Limited Aromire Branch, Ikeja, Lagos, and thereby committed an offence punishable under section 15(2)(b) of the money laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011as amended in 2012.
