Atuche: Court summons officials of Keystone Bank

Henry Ojelu

A Nigerian High Court sitting in Ikeja, Lagos today issued a subpoena on Keystone Bank Plc (formerly Bank PHB) to produce some vital documents in the trial of a former managing director of the bank, Mr Francis Atuche.

Atuche is standing trial alongside his wife, Elizabeth and a former Chief Financial Officer of the bank, Ugo Anyanwu for allegedly stealing N25.7 billion belonging to the bank.

The said documents which is believe to be in the custody of the bank relates to a N10.9 billion credit facility granted to the companies of two EFCC witnesses.

The witnesses, Mr Diamond Uju (PW 1) and Mrs Elizabeth Ebi (PW3) had testified that the loans were granted to their companies without any formal request.

Justice Lateefat Okunnu had on 28 January ordered the witnesses to be recalled for further cross-examination by Atuche’s counsel.

Okunnu had, however, directed that the witnesses should only be cross-examined in respect of the documents the defence had claimed was in their possession.

At today’s proceedings, EFCC counsel, Mr Kemi Pinheiro (SAN) said both Uju and Ebi were in court, adding that the defence should proceed with the cross-examination as scheduled.

Atuche’s counsel, Mr Tayo Oyetibo, however, informed the court that the documents being requested from Keystone Bank were not available.

Oyetibo, noted that the subpoena earlier issued on the bank to produce the documents was not signed and could not be enforced.

He said the documents were vital to the defence case because it contradicted the testimonies of the witnesses.

Oyetibo said the defence was requesting for the bank’s copy of the documents to prove that the witnesses actually solicited for the loan facility.

He also rejected Pinheiro’s suggestion that the witnesses should be cross-examined with a copy of the said documents which were with the defence.

The judge therefore adjourned the matter to 4 March and ordered that a duly signed copy of the subpoena should be served on the bank before the next adjournment date.