31-Year-Old Banker Arraigned Over Alleged Theft Of Customers’ N5.1m

A banker, Augustine Ononiwu, on Monday was arraigned before an Ikeja magistrates’ court in Lagos for allegedly stealing customers’ N5.1 million.

Ononiwu, 31, is standing trial on a 2-count charge of conspiracy and stealing.

He, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges and was granted bail pending the resumption of the trial on February 19.

The police prosecutor, ASP Ezekiel Ayorinde, told the court that the accused committed the offences between August 2017 and January 2018 at Ogba, Lagos.

Ayorinde said that the accused and others still at large conspired to steal N5.1 million belonging to a new generation bank.

He said, “The accused diverted several customers’ recalled funds that were expected to be credited to other banks to his personal use.

“The theft was discovered when one of the beneficiaries who had yet to be credited came to bank to complain.

“Upon underground investigation, the bank discovered that the accused debited the bank and fraudulently credited his accomplices.”

Ayorinde said that it was based on the discovery that the accused was arrested and handed over to the police.

The offences, according to the prosecutor, contravened Sections 287(7) and 411 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015 (Revised).

NAN reports that the accused may be jailed for seven years if found guilty of stealing in accordance with the provisions of section 287 (7).