EFCC Arraigns Alleged Fraudsters for Defrauding Access Bank of N3.5bn
For allegedly stealing N3.5 billion from Access Bank Plc and retaining the proceeds of crime, three suspects, Michael Igbomins, David Onyeike, and Moses Iruolaja were arraigned before Justice Olubunmi Abike-Fadipe of the Ikeja Special Offences Court.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) arraigned the trio on two counts charge bordering on stealing and retention of proceed of crime. The EFCC counsel, Mr. Abdulhamid Tukur told court that the defendants allegedly committed the offences sometimes in 2023 in Lagos, with dishonest intent, allegedly stole and converted the fund to their own use.
EFCC also alleged the defendants retained the money, knowing it was proceeds from unlawful act.
EFCC levelled accused an Access Bank employee plugged an Hp Elitebook laptop into his branch network where he was working for about 16 years as an IT representative with the bank. He gave them remote access to his cohorts for them to perpetrate the fraud on the network of the bank. He employed others defendant and move money out through them.
According to the anti-graft commission, the alleged offences were contrary to the provision of section 17 of the EFCC Establishment Act, 2004 and Section 280 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State 2015.
They all pleaded not guilty to the charge. Following their not guilty plea, Tukur prayed the court for a trial date and urged the court to remand the defendants in prison custody.
However, the defendants counsel, Mr. M.S. Amosun and Mr I.O. Lala informed the court that there was no pending application before the court but they prayed that they would do the needful before the next adjourned date.
