The First Bank Plc deputy manager, Ghana branch, Chibuike Clement Kenneth, was on Wednesday, arraigned before Justice Akintayo Aluko of Federal High Court, Lagos over alleged offences bordering on conspiracy, fraud of N396,999,080 million and money laundering.
The First Bank deputy Manager, was arraigned on the alleged offences by the men of Police Special Fraud Unit (PSFU), Ikoyi Lagos.
The prosecutor, I. Iredia told the court that the first bank manager committed the offences alongside others, who are now at large, sometimes in May, 2022.
He was alleged to have fraudulenty obtained the said sum from one Oladipo Okuntola, who trades under the name and style of Aqua 10 Nigeria Limited, with the pretence of giving United States Dollars.
He was also alleged to have converted the said amount to his personal used and failed.
The prosecutor told the court that the alleged crimes, contravened sections 8(a) and punishable under Sectian 1(3)(a) and 2 (1)(a) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act No. 14 of 2006.
He also told the court that the alleged offence is contrary to 15(2)(b) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition Act as Amended 2012).
The defendant, however denied the allegations and pleaded not guilty to the offences.
With his not guilty plea, the prosecutor asked the court for a trial date.
Counsel to the defendant, Ademola Olabiyi, urged the court to grant bail to his client on a liberal terms and conditions
Ademola told the court that his client was brought to Nigeria from Ghana, where he work as First Bank Plc’s deputy manager and detained for more than 30 days by the police, despite the rejection of the remand application filed against him by a Lagos Magistrate Court.
The development he told the court led to the filing of a fundamental rights enforcement suit against the police at a Lagos High Court.
He, therefore, urged the court to grant his client bail in the most liberal terms.
The prosecutor however told the court that he leaves the bail issue to court’s discretion.
Justice Aluko in his ruling, admitted the defendant to the bail sum of N50 million with two sureties in like sum.
Justice judge said that one of the sureties must be a landed property owner within the court’s jurisdisction, while the second surety must be a Grade Level 12 and above or a businessman with an account balance of N100 million.
Justice Aluko also ordered that the sureties to depose to affidavit of means, and others terms.
The judge while ordering that the defendant be remanded in the custody of the Nigerian Correctional Services NCoS till the perfection of the bail terms, adjourned the matter till February 23, 2023, for commencement of trial.
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