Metro

Court Grants N20m Bail to Bankers Accused of N35m Fraud

Published

4 months ago

Sep 3, 2024.

Justice Deinde Dipeolu of the Federal High Court in Lagos granted N20 million bail to two Keystone Bank Limited employees, Ebele Okpala and Perpetua Onyeto, who were accused of fraudulently obtaining N35 million.

The bail was granted after the defendants’ counsel presented their bail application to the court. Okpala and Onyeto were arraigned on Friday, August 30, 2024, by the Police Special Fraud Unit in Lagos on charges of fraud.

The two defendants are facing five counts, including conspiracy, stealing, money laundering, and obtaining by false pretence, brought against them by the police.

Chief Superintendent of Police Eliot Ejie, the prosecution counsel, informed the court that the offences occurred in July 2023.

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He alleged that Okpala, in collusion with Onyeto, who worked at the bank’s Anambra State branch, fraudulently lifted a lien on a customer’s account and transferred the funds to her own Keystone Bank account.

According to the prosecutor, the defendants’ actions violated Sections 1(1)(c) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Related Offences Act, 2006, and are punishable under Section 1(3) of the same Act.

Court

Their conduct also contravened Sections 516 and 383(1) of the Criminal Code Act LFN 2004, as well as Sections 21(a) and 18(2)(d) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022, with penalties under Section 18(3) of the same Act.