Bank Cashier Arraigned For Stealing N48m From Customers

A Lagos banker, Patience Okoli, who is a cashier with one of the Lagos banks was yesterday, arraigned before an Ikeja High Court for allegedly stealing N48.4 million belonging to her employers. 

The cashier, who works in Global Trust Savings and Loans Limited, located at Plot 740, Adeola Hopewell Street, Victoria Island, Lagos, was arraigned before Justice Serifat Solebo, by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on a 100-count charge bordering on fraud, forgery and stealing of the said sum.

The EFCC in the charge, alleged that the cashier had, between September 2007 and February 2009, while acting in her capacity, fraudulently forged and altered several withdrawal slips of the finance house in carrying out the act. The offences, according to the EFCC prosecutor, Mr. George Yakua, are contrary to Sections 390 (8), 467, 468, of the Criminal Code Law Cap. C17, Laws of Lagos State, 2003. The banker was accused of defrauding some of the bank’s customers as well.

The EFCC had, in count one, alleged that the accused had between September 26, 2007 and October 9, 2008, with intent to defraud, stole N775,000, by fraudulently depositing and withdrawing the money from one Clara’s account. She was alleged to have, between January 21, 2008 and February 4, 2009, fraudulently withdrawn a total sum of N27,734,900 from the account of one Odu, a customer to her employer.

In count 100 of the charge, the accused was accused of defrauding her employer of N200,000, by forging and altering a withdrawal slip of the company, which she claimed to have been signed by Odu. The accused pleaded not guilty to all the charges. Her lawyer, Festus Afeleyedion, pleaded with the court to let his client continue with the previous bail terms granted her when she was first arraigned in 2012. Justice Solebo conceded to the lawyer’s request and adjourned the matter till February 16.