Bank. |
Justice S. N. Odili of the Anambra State High Court sitting in Onitsha, Anambra State, has convicted and sentenced a former manager with First City Monument Bank, FCMB, Onitsha branch, Nwachukwu Placidus, to a cumulative 121 years imprisonment for diverting fixed deposit funds of a customer to the tune of N112,100,000 ( One Hundred and Twelve Million, One Hundred Thousand Naira only) for his personal use.
He was
arraigned on Tuesday, March 27, 2018 on 16-count charges bordering on
forgery, stealing, obtaining by false pretence and uttering, by the Enugu Zonal
Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.
One of
the counts reads: “Nwachukwu Placidus between February 2009 and November 2014
in Onitsha, Anambra State within the jurisdiction of the Anambra State High
Court of Nigeria with intent to defraud obtained the sum of (N112,100,000) One
Hundred and Twelve Million, One Hundred Thousand Naira only, from Idemili
Microfinance Bank under the false pretence that you have placed the said money
in a fixed deposit account with First City Monument Bank PLC for it, which
pretence you knew to be false and you thereby committed an offence”.
Nwachukwu Placidus. |
He
pleaded not guilty to the charges when they were read to him, thus setting
the stage for his trial.
In the
course of trial, the EFCC, through its counsel, Mainforce Adaka Ekwu presented
four witnesses and tendered several relevant documents which were admitted in
evidence.
In his
judgment, Justice Odili held that “the prosecution proved its case beyond
reasonable doubt” and sentenced the convict to nine years imprisonment on
count 3, 4 years on count 4 and 9 years on counts 5 to 16 respectively. He was
discharged on counts 1 and 2. The sentences shall run concurrently.
The
court further ordered the convict to restitute the said sum to his victim, Idemili
Microfinance Bank.
Placidus
’journey to the Correctional Centre began when a petitioner, Idemili
Microfinance Bank LTD, alleged that the sum of N112, 100, 000 was handed over
to him as the branch manager of FCMB in Onitsha, for fixed deposit.
However, when the petitioner approached the bank to terminate and
withdraw the deposit, the bank denied receiving the said funds.
Upon
receipt of the petition, the EFCC swung into action and investigations revealed
that the convict diverted the money for his own use and issued a fake fixed
Deposit Certificate to the petitioner.
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