The Special Fraud Unit, Ikoyi, Lagos State,
has arrested a 39-year-old trader, Okonkwo Nwachukwu, for allegedly opening
multiple accounts with Zenith Bank, under different identities.
The police said the action was meant to
defraud financial institutions and unsuspecting members of the public.
A statement by the SFU Police Public
Relations Officer, DSP Ngozi Isintume-Agu, said the SFU Commissioner of Police
had received a petition from the bank on February 12, 2014.
It reads in part, “The petition alleged that
Nwachukwu had appeared at the Amuwo Odofin branch of Zenith Bank to open a
savings account and presented an already completed savings account opening
package with the name, Obiozor Ifeanyi, and identified himself as such with a
National Identity Card.
“While the Customer Service office was
checking the documents, Nwachukwu allegedly went to the Marketing Unit and
collected another savings account opening package and completed same with
another name, Ogueji Nnamdi. He allegedly returned to the Customer Service Desk
and presented same for account opening with another National Identity Card
bearing Ogueji Nnamdi.”
Nwachukwu’s attempt to open another savings
account within minutes with another identity was said to have aroused the
suspicion of the Customer Service Officer.
Upon searching the bank’s system with
Nwachukwu’s phone number, the customer service officer was said to have
discovered that he already possessed about 25 savings accounts at various
branches under different names.
The statement added, “It was further alleged
that Nwachukwu also operated a corporate account with number 1012000129,
belonging to Chukon Integrated Limited, and he also identified himself as
Okonkwo Nwachukwu when he opened the said account.
“A native of Okija Ihiala LGA of Anambra
State, Nwachukwu is into cargo business and owns an office at Block 4, Shop 169
A.P.T. Market Trade Fair, Lagos.”
It was gathered that Nwachukwu explained that the multiple accounts he opened
was to enable him run his business successfully.
He claimed that the cashless policy of the
CBN did not permit him to withdraw a huge sum of money in one account and as
such, he was advised to open multiple accounts to spread his money.
He added that he had N50,000 each in 15
different accounts, while the remaining ones had N20,000, N10,000 and N5,000
respectively.
Nwachukwu also said the National Identity
Card and PHCN bills were forged by one Pepper who was at large. The
suspect came back from China on January 27, 2014 and started the multiple
account opening from February 5, to 7, 2014 when he was apprehended.
SFU Deputy Commissioner of Police, Mr.
Zubairu Muazu, commended the management of Zenith Bank for their discovery and
advised other banks to be at alert to such scammers “who work as a syndicate to
defraud members of the public.
“Investigation is ongoing to unravel more
about the suspect’s motive behind the multiple account opening,” Isintume-Agu
added.
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Business