Fraud: Court Jails Banker, Oil Thief
Olatomiwa Ajigi
Justice M.A Onyetenu of the Federal High Court sitting in Port Harcourt, Rivers State has convicted and sentenced a former banker,Ikechukwu Chukwuma, to six months imprisonment for defrauding his bank, Diamond Bank, a sum of N28, 000, 000. 00(Twenty Eight Million Naira).
The judge also ordered the convict to pay the sum of N15, 000, 000. 00 ( Fifteen Million Naira) as a restitution to the bank. The sentence is to run from the day he was convicted. 15 March, 2016.
In a related development, an illegal oil bunkerer, Basil Anoliefo was convicted and sentenced to one year imprisonment.
Chukwuma, a Resident Internal Control Auditor in charge of Ikwerre Road and Oyigbo Branches ( both in Port Harcourt, Rivers State) and Yenagoa Branch (Bayelsa State) of Diamond Bank Plc, used his position and influence to fraudulently transfer the sum of N28, 000, 000. 00 into his account. He was first arraigned on 2 July, 2012 where he pleaded not guilty to the charge. Justice Onyetenu found him guilty of the three count charges proffered against him and sentenced him to six months imprisonment accordingly.
One of the count reads, “that you Ikechukwu Chukwuma being a staff of Diamond Bank and acting as the Resident Control Officer of the Bank, on or about the 1st day of April, 2009, at No 40 Ikwerre Road branch of Diamond Bank, Port Harcourt, Rivers State, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable court with intent to defraud, did obtain by False Pretence the sum of Three million Naira (N3, 000, 000. 00) and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 1 (1) and (2) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006 and punishable under Section 1 (3) of the same Act”.
Another count reads, “that you Ikechukwu Chukwuma being a staff of Diamond Bank and acting as the Resident Control Officer of the Bank, on or about the 18th June,2009 at Oyingbo and Fot Onne branches of Diamond Bank, Port Harcourt, Rivers State within the jurisdiction of this Honourable court with intent to defraud, did obtain by False Pretence the sum of FifteenMillion Naira (N15, 000, 000. 00) 00) from Diamond Bank by presenting a cheque and overdrawing your staff account number 0162030013059 to the tune of the said amount after deceiving the Bank that the said amount is about to be credited to your account by your uncle in Lagos and later caused the said sum to be transferred to your savings account number 0091060003322, and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 1(1) and (2) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006 and punishable under Section 1 (3) of the same Act”.
In the same vein, Justice Onyetenu convicted and sentenced Anoliefo to 12 months imprisonment with hard labour for illegal dealing in petroleum products.
The judge found the convict guilty of two count charges of conspiracy and illegal dealing in petroleum products brought against him by the EFCC and sentenced him to 12 months imprisonment with hard labour. The sentence is to run from the day he was convicted, 9 May, 2016.
Anoliefo was arrested by Shell Petroleum Development Company, SPDC and handed over to the EFCC on 15 April, 2008. The convict was first arraigned on 15 March, 2011 where he pleaded not guilty to the charge.
