A Federal High Court in Lagos,
last week Thursday, ordered the prison remand of a female member of staff of
Diamond Bank Plc, Eniola Morondiya, who allegedly aided some fraudsters to
process N241m said to be proceeds of a criminal act.
last week Thursday, ordered the prison remand of a female member of staff of
Diamond Bank Plc, Eniola Morondiya, who allegedly aided some fraudsters to
process N241m said to be proceeds of a criminal act.
Morondiya, a teller on contract
employment with Diamond Bank, was remanded along with the four alleged
fraudsters, Suleiman Mohammed, Ibrahim Danazumi, Roland Aroko and Francis
Akpabio, all males.
employment with Diamond Bank, was remanded along with the four alleged
fraudsters, Suleiman Mohammed, Ibrahim Danazumi, Roland Aroko and Francis
Akpabio, all males.
The remand of the five accused
persons followed their arraignment on four counts of conspiracy and money
laundering before Justice Okon Abang.
persons followed their arraignment on four counts of conspiracy and money
laundering before Justice Okon Abang.
The prosecution, in the charge
marked FHC/L/170c/15, alleged that the plot to move the N241m proceeds of
criminal act, using Morondiya, was hatched during a meeting of the accused
persons with some persons still at large on February 1, 2015.
marked FHC/L/170c/15, alleged that the plot to move the N241m proceeds of
criminal act, using Morondiya, was hatched during a meeting of the accused
persons with some persons still at large on February 1, 2015.
Members of the fraud syndicate
were said to have met at Protea Hotel in Maryland, Lagos where they conspired
among themselves to, with the assistance of Morondiya, move the N241m into
various bank accounts in order to conceal the illicit origin of the huge sum.
were said to have met at Protea Hotel in Maryland, Lagos where they conspired
among themselves to, with the assistance of Morondiya, move the N241m into
various bank accounts in order to conceal the illicit origin of the huge sum.
Morondiya, who worked at the
Jibowu, Yaba branch of Diamond Bank, was alleged to have been paid N3m by one
Solomon Ikeije, being her promised share of the N241m made from an alleged
illegal deal.
Jibowu, Yaba branch of Diamond Bank, was alleged to have been paid N3m by one
Solomon Ikeije, being her promised share of the N241m made from an alleged
illegal deal.
She allegedly received the money
on February 3, 2015 and retained same in her own bank account after helping the
fraud syndicate to post the N241m on February 2, 2015.
on February 3, 2015 and retained same in her own bank account after helping the
fraud syndicate to post the N241m on February 2, 2015.
The prosecutor, E.K. Ugwu, further
alleged that the fifth defendant, Akpabio, received and concealed N27m of the
N241m in the Diamond Bank account of his company, Edokori Oil Ventures.
alleged that the fifth defendant, Akpabio, received and concealed N27m of the
N241m in the Diamond Bank account of his company, Edokori Oil Ventures.
Akpabio was accused of
transferring N7m out of the N27m he received into a certain account number with
Ecobank and thereafter transferred another N2.1m into a separate account before
withdrawing N3m for himself at the Burma Road, Apapa, Lagos branch of Diamond
Bank on February 2, 2015.
transferring N7m out of the N27m he received into a certain account number with
Ecobank and thereafter transferred another N2.1m into a separate account before
withdrawing N3m for himself at the Burma Road, Apapa, Lagos branch of Diamond
Bank on February 2, 2015.
According to the prosecution, as
of the time of investigation, N15m was discovered in Akpabio’s Diamond Bank
account.
of the time of investigation, N15m was discovered in Akpabio’s Diamond Bank
account.
The five accused persons were
charged for allegedly violating Section 15(2) (3), 17 and 18(a) of the Money
Laundering (prohibition) Act, 2012.
charged for allegedly violating Section 15(2) (3), 17 and 18(a) of the Money
Laundering (prohibition) Act, 2012.
They however pleaded not guilty to
the charges, following which the prosecutor moved the court to remand them in
prison custody.
the charges, following which the prosecutor moved the court to remand them in
prison custody.
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