EFCC arraigns banker, accomplice for N110m fraud

A banker with one of the old generation banks, Victor Joseph, and Ahmad Muhammad Aliyu have been arraigned for money laundering charges to the tune of N110 million.

They were arraigned on five-count charges bordering on money laundering before Justice N.E. Maha of the Federal High Court Maitama Abuja by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Monday, February 12.

The defendants were docked for allegedly transferring N110 million fraudulently from the National Assembly office account between March 27 and April 11 2023, using fictitious transfer instructions.

Further investigations showed that the forged instructions were submitted at the National Assembly Business Office, Abuja Branch of the bank, for processing and the funds were transferred to various beneficiaries in three banks.

The money was traced from these three banks to several other beneficiaries who later returned the funds to Joseph that initiated the transactions.

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Count two of the charge reads: “That you Victor Joseph being a former staffer of bank, Ahmad Muhammad Aliyu and another now at large, between March and April 2023 in Abuja within the Judicial Division of this Honourable Court, did indirectly take control of an aggregate sum of N110,000,000 which you knew or reasonably ought to know represents proceed of unlawful act to wit; obtaining money by false pretense and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 18 (2)(d) of the Money Laundering Prohibition Act, 2002 and punishable under Section 18 (3) of the same Act.”

Upon reading their charges to them, both defendants pleaded not guilty, prompting Prosecution counsel, Joshua Saidi, to pray for a trial date.

Counsels to the first and second defendants, Gbenga Ashowole and Nelem Orji informed the court of applications for bail for their clients.

Justice Maha thereafter remanded the defendants at the Kuje Correctional Centre and adjourned the matter till February 27, 2024 for hearing of bail applications.

The Star