EFCC arraigns bank manager, 2 others for N55m fraud

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arraigned a branch manager of First City Monument Bank (FCMB), Kichime Gomwalk, and two others before the Plateau State High Court sitting in Jos on a five-count charge bordering on stealing, cheating, and obtaining by false pretense to the tune of N55 million.

The two others arraigned before Justice P. S. on Tuesday, March 21 were Michael Damkas Buayam of Tan Global Energy Limited and Abbas Andrew Dayilim of Castlegate International Limited.

Gomwalk, while serving as branch manager of FCMB in Murtala Mohammed Way, Jos, the Plateau State capital, was alleged to have forged “COCIN Gratuity Certificate of Pledge/Letter of Set-Off dated 30th December 2019, purportedly co-signed by Mrs. Monica Bitrus Tang and Rev Amos Musa Mohzo, Directors, which he used to secure overdraft facility from FCMB Plc to the tune of N55, 000.000.00 (Fifty-Five Million Naira) with COCIN Gratuity account N0. 100GOMWALK379 domiciled with FCMB Plc.”

The defendants pleaded “not guilty” when the charge was read to them.

The prosecution counsel, Uwaise Yusuf, urged the court to remand the defendants and fix a date for trial.

The presiding judge, therefore, adjourned the case till May 18, 2023, and ordered the remand of the defendants at the Jos Correctional Centre pending the hearing of their bail applications.

The Star