*The accused persons were alleged to have forged a document titled, “Access Bank Fund Transfer/Standing Order Form”, with different serial numbers with a purported signature of the Managing Director of De Chimex Aluminium and Steel Company Limited

Isola Moses | ConsumerConnect

For allegedly committing forgery and theft of customer’s money while betraying her employers’ trust, Nigeria’s Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has charged Olawunmi Audu, a female banker, to court over the sum of N197.2million stolen from a depositor’s account with the bank.

The EFCC in a 21-count charge filed before the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, FCT, accused the female banker and certain Uche Glory Michael Sado (now at large) of committing the purported offence of forgery and theft in the financial institution, The Nigerian Lawyers report said.

Audu is said to be the Relationship Manager of the account of De Chimex Aluminium and Steel Company Limited domiciled with the bank.

The defendants, according to anti-graft agency’s charge, were alleged to have conspired to transfer the sum of N197.2 million from the account of De Chimex Aluminium and Steel Company Limited domiciled with Access Bank Plc.

The prosecution informed the court that the defendants, who are all staff of Access Bank Plc, allegedly transferred the funds to the account of Mikuch Global Limited, belonging to Michael Sado between May and June 2018, in Abuja, report stated.

The accused persons were alleged to have forged a document titled: “Access Bank Fund Transfer/Standing Order Form” with different serial numbers with a purported signature of Paschal Nwabueze Innocent, the Managing Director of De Chimex Aluminium and Steel Company Limited.

The offences are punishable under sections 85, 287, and 364 of the Penal Code Act Chapter 53 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria.

Though Audu’s arraignment originally was fixed for Tuesday before Justice A.O. Ebong, of the Zuba Division of the FCT High Court, it was stalled due to the absence of the defendant.

When the matter was called, defence counsel Aliyu Hassan informed the court that Audu was absent because she went for a medical examination.

Hassan, therefore, pleaded for an adjournment, and the court consequently shifted the arraignment to February 22, 2021.

Halidu Mohammed, EFCC counsel, however, did not object to the application for adjournment.