Two bankers charged with N500, 000 fraud

Two Skye Bank Plc staff Aina Tolulope, 30, and Lukman Okunade,
28, who allegedly defrauded the bank of N500,000, were Tuesday
arraigned before an Igbosere Magistrate’s Court Lagos.

‎The defendants were docked by the police before Magistrate A. F
Botoku on a three-count charge of conspiracy, impersonation and
stealing.

Tolulope, of 12 Aric Close, Bariga and Okunade, of No. 8 Alayaki
Street Mushin, Lagos respectively, pleaded not guilty to the
charge.

Prosecuting Sergeant Chinedu Njoku said the defendants and two
others Ekeolere Sheriff and Auwa Garba, who are still at large,
committed the alleged offences on July 14, 2017.

He said that the incident took place at Skye Bank Plc, Apapa
Road Branch Lagos, at about 12:30pm.

According to Njoku, the duo impersonated as both Transaction
Officer and Customer ‎Service Officer and fraudulently transferred
the said amount to Sheriff and Garba’s accounts

The prosecutor said the money was the property of the bank’s
customer, Hassan Ibrahim, who approached the bank to convert Euros
to Naira, when he was defrauded.

“Ibrahim went to the bank to change foreign currency when he met
Tolulope and Okunade, who gave him a fake form to fill which he
did. He then asked them to transfer the money into his bank
account, which they did in his presence with a fake alert
confirming that the money was in his account. Unknown to him, the
money was transferred to the two suspects.

“Afterwards when the complainant tried to withdraw the sum he
found nothing in his account, only a fake bank alert. He
immediately returned to the bank and complained following which the
defendants were arrested,” Njoku said.

According to the prosecutor, the offences were punishable under
Section 411, 325 and 285 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State,
2015.

Magistrate Botoku admitted each defendant to N500, 000 bail with
one surety in the like sum.

The case was adjourned till September 13.

Two Skye Bank Plc staff Aina Tolulope, 30, and Lukman Okunade,
28, who allegedly defrauded the bank of N500,000, were Tuesday
arraigned before an Igbosere Magistrate’s Court Lagos.

‎The defendants were docked by the police before Magistrate A. F
Botoku on a three-count charge of conspiracy, impersonation and
stealing.

Tolulope, of 12 Aric Close, Bariga and Okunade, of No. 8 Alayaki
Street Mushin, Lagos respectively, pleaded not guilty to the
charge.

Prosecuting Sergeant Chinedu Njoku said the defendants and two
others Ekeolere Sheriff and Auwa Garba, who are still at large,
committed the alleged offences on July 14, 2017.

He said that the incident took place at Skye Bank Plc, Apapa
Road Branch Lagos, at about 12:30pm.

According to Njoku, the duo impersonated as both Transaction
Officer and Customer ‎Service Officer and fraudulently transferred
the said amount to Sheriff and Garba’s accounts

The prosecutor said the money was the property of the bank’s
customer, Hassan Ibrahim, who approached the bank to convert Euros
to Naira, when he was defrauded.

“Ibrahim went to the bank to change foreign currency when he met
Tolulope and Okunade, who gave him a fake form to fill which he
did. He then asked them to transfer the money into his bank
account, which they did in his presence with a fake alert
confirming that the money was in his account. Unknown to him, the
money was transferred to the two suspects.

“Afterwards when the complainant tried to withdraw the sum he
found nothing in his account, only a fake bank alert. He
immediately returned to the bank and complained following which the
defendants were arrested,” Njoku said.

According to the prosecutor, the offences were punishable under
Section 411, 325 and 285 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State,
2015.

Magistrate Botoku admitted each defendant to N500, 000 bail with
one surety in the like sum.

The case was adjourned till September 13.