29th May, 2024
By Paul Iyoghojie
A new generation bank has dragged its worker, Komolafe Oluwayomi, 45, before a Lagos Magistrate’s court for allegedly stealing the sum of N9,989,000 from its account and converted the money to his personal use.
The defendant was ordered arrested by the Divisional Police Officer, DPO in charge of Bar Beach division, Victoria Island, Lagos following a complaint by the management of the bank.
After an investigation by Inspector Patience Eguabor and team, Oluwayomi, a resident of Unity Close, Ojodu, Lagos from Ondo State was charged before the Tinubu Magistrate’s Court, Lagos Island on a two-count charge bordering on conspiracy and stealing.
Police counsel, Ben Ekundayo informed the court that the defendant committed the offence during working hours at the bank located in Victoria Island, Lagos.
Ekundayo told the Court that the defendant betrayed the trust reposed in him by his employer as the officer in charge of payment of drivers’ retirement benefits by fraudulently including the name and account number of his friend in the retirement benefits payroll and used it to transfer the sum of N9,989,000 into his friend’s account as if his friend is a beneficiary of the retirement benefits and later transferred the money from his friend’s account to his personal account domiciled at the bank and converted the money to his use.
He said the management of bank uncovered the fraud when they audited the drivers’ retirement payroll accounts.
Ekundayo said the offences, the defendant committed were punishable under sections 411 and 287(7) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.
The defendant, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges, and Magistrate, M.A. Owunmi granted him N2m bail with two sureties in like sum.
Owunmi adjourned the case till 11 June 2024 for mention and ordered that the defendant be detained at the Ikoyi correctional facility till he perfected the bail conditions.