Court remands bank official for allegedly stealing N23.5million

A Federal High Court in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, has remanded Fasiku Raphael, a former official of the First City Monument Bank (FCMB), in custody for alleged stealing and currency counterfeiting to the tune of N23.5 million.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), which is prosecuting Mr Raphael, said in a statement on Tuesday that the suspect was arraigned on 27 March on a six-count charge.

According to the charge, which was read to him in the court, Mr Raphael, in June 2021 in Port Harcourt, while he was a staff member of the FCMB, allegedly stole N10, 040, 000, 00 belonging to Esther Ehire, and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 390 of the Criminal Code Act, Cap. C38 of the Revised Edition (Laws of the Federation of Nigeria) 2004.

He is similarly accused of stealing, in December 2021 in Port Harcourt, N8milion belonging to Okoye Ikechukwu

Mr Raphael pleaded not guilty to the charges.

The prosecution counsel, E. K. Bakam, asked for a date for the commencement of trial and prayed the court to remand the defendant.

Counsel to the defendant, V. U. Uzorchukwu, did not oppose the prayers by the prosecution.

The judge, P. I. Ajoku, ordered that the defendant be remanded in EFCC custody and the matter adjourned to 13 July for the commencement of trial.

The EFCC said it went after Mr Raphael after it received a petition against him for allegedly stealing N23, 500,000.00 meant for a fixed deposit in the FCMB.

Court convicts two fraudsters in Benin

In a related development, the EFCC in Benin on 28 March secured a conviction at a State High Court, in Benin City, against two internet fraudsters.

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The anti-graft commission, in a statement on Tuesday, gave the names of the fraudsters as Edebor Tobilola and Okosun Samuel who were arraigned for impersonation.

“The duo had represented themselves as foreign nationals on social media platforms in their attempt to defraud unsuspecting victims,” the EFCC said.

The judge, M.E. Itsueli, convicted and sentenced Messrs Tobilola and Samuel to three years imprisonment with an option of N200,000 fine each, after both of them pleaded guilty to the one-count charge against them.

He also ordered the forfeiture of laptop and phones recovered from them to the Nigerian government and the closure of their bank accounts.