Banker Forges Colleague’s Signatures, Steals Customers’ N80m

A banker, Kolapo Oduwole, alleged to have forged the signatures of his colleague to commit fraud, has been arraigned by the Kano Zonal office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

Oduwole, a staff of Union Bank of Nigeria, was arraigned before Justice Musa Danladi of the Katsina State High Court on a six -count of forgery and fraud in the sum of N80,000,000.

A statement by Spokesman of the anti-graft agency, Dele Oyewale, said Oduwole allegedly forged the signatures of the Relationship Manager of the bank on three fixed deposits certificates.

Oyewale added that he thereafter presented same to some customers and subsequently got the customers to fix their money in fixed deposit accounts controlled only by him.

According to him, it was further alleged that after the money was fixed, the defendant transferred it into various accounts to conduct his personal businesses.

One of the charges read that “You Kolapo Oduwole on the 3rd March, 2020 at Katsina, within the jurisdiction of this honourable court forged a certain document to wit: Re: Investment of (N80,000,000) Eighty Million Naira Only with intent to cause damage to one Abubakar Mohammed by making him to believe that you had placed the money in a fixed deposit with Union Bank and you thereby committed an offence contrary to section 340 and punishable under section 341 of the Penal Code Law of Katsina State 2019.”

After the charge was read, the accused person pleaded not guilty.

The prosecution counsel, Aisha Tahar Habib, in view of the defendant’s plea, asked the court for a trial date. She also asked that the defendant be remanded in the commission’s custody as he was still under investigation.

Defence counsel, M.M Rimaye, did not object to the prosecution’s application.

Justice Danladi adjourned the matter till October 12, 2020 for commencement of trial and remanded the accused person in EFCC’s custody.