Union Bank staff steals customers’ N80 million

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arraigned Kolapo Oduwole, a Union Bank staff, before the Katsina State High Court for forgery and fraud in the sum of N80,000,000.

Oduwole, who worked at the Katsina branch, was docked before Justice Musa Danladi and charged on a six-count charge as he allegedly forged signatures of the Relationship Manager of the Bank on three fixed deposits certificates and presented same to some customers and subsequently got the customers to fix their money in fixed deposit accounts controlled only by 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.

He pleaded not guilty to the charge.

In view of his plea, prosecution counsel, Aisha Tahar Habib requested the court for a trial date.

She also requested that Oduwole be remanded in the Commission’s custody as he is still under investigation while the defence counsel, M.M Rimaye, did not object to the prosecution’s application.

Justice Danladi adjourned the matter till 12 October 2020 for the commencement of trial.