29th February, 2016
Paul Iyoghojie
Attempts by a suspected fraudster to withdraw money from the account of a customer of an old generation bank at Ogere branch in Ogun State, western Nigeria, has been foiled by the staff of the bank.
Police alleged that the incident occurred on 23 January, 2016 when the suspect, Benjamin Brown Umanah, 46, from Etete LGA of Akwa Ibom State, southern Nigeria, walked into the bank to collect an ATM card with the account name Fidelis Damar, a customer of the bank.
He allegedly forged Damar’s identity card to enable him withdraw money from the account.
When the bank officials asked the suspect sensitive questions on how he came about the account and his relationship with the owner, he could not give satisfactory answer.
Following the development, the bank management moved the suspect to their Head Office in Lagos, and after preliminary investigation, the bank management reported the incident to the DPO in charge of Ikoyi Division, SP Tijani Mustapha, who despatched his men to the bank to arrest the suspect and bring him to the station.
During interogation, the suspect allegedly confessed to the crime, saying that his intention was to use the ATM card to withdraw money from the complainant’s account.
The suspect also allegedly told the police that he had been withdrawing money from bank customer’s account for the past three years in the same manner with the help of an insider without any problem.
Umanah, a resident of 39, Sobowale Street, Ogba, Lagos, was arraigned before an Igbosere Magistrates’ Court, on a four-count charge of felony to wit, attempt to collect bank customer’s ATM account and forgery.
Police prosecutor, A. C. Osuji told the court in charge No I/12/2016 that the intention of the accused in the bank was to collect the ATM account of the complainant and use it to withdraw money from his account.
Osuji said the offences the accused committed are punishable under sections 409, 378(1), 301 and 363 of the criminal laws of Lagos State, 2011.
The defendant denied the police charges in the open and Magistrate Mr. Amos admitted him to bail in the sum of N200,000 with sureties in like sum.
Amos adjourned the case till 23 March, 2016 for mention while the defendant was taken to Ikoyi prison, Lagos pending when he will fulfil his bail conditions.