Fraud: Case Against Bank Executive, Husband Adjourned

A Federal High Court sitting in Lagos, South West Nigeria, has adjourned till 2 August this year, the trial of one of the managers of Fidelity Bank Plc, Uchenna Abazu, alleged to have conspired with her husband, Tochukwu Phillip Abazu, to defraud the bank the sum of N97 million.

The prosecuting counsel handling the case who intends to call eleven witnesses, has so far called three witnesses.

Uchenna Abazu was initially arraigned before a Tapa Chief Magistrate’s Court before another criminal charge was filed before a Federal Court in Lagos, in which her husband was joined as co-accused.

In a four-count criminal charge filed before the court by the prosecutor, Mrs. C.M. Efobi from the Office of the Attorney General of the Federation, it was stated thus: “That you, Uchenna Abazu, between 29 February, 2008 and 12 February, 2009, in your capacity as executive assistant with E. Business Unit of Domestic Operations of Fidelity Bank Plc located at 23, Awolowo Road, Ikoyi, Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this court, did conspire with one Tochukwu Phillip Abazu, your husband, to commit a felony to wit, forgery and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 3 (6) of the Miscellaneous Offences Act Cap M17 of the Law of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004 and in conjunction with Sections 1 (2) (a) (b) (c) of the same act,” while the second count read,

“that you, Uchenna Abazu and Tochukwu Phillip Abazu, between 29 February, 2009 and 12 February, 2009, at Fidelity Bank Plc, 23, Awolowo Road, Ikoyi, Lagos, did forge statement of account number 027402010024417 belonging to Tochukwu Phillip Abazu, when Uchenna Abazu was an executive assistant with the bank with identity card number 1705, in furtherance of their common intention, made false enteries to Tochukwu Phillip Abazu’s account number 027402010024417, opened with Fidelity Bank Plc on 6 June, 2007, at 23, Awolowo Road, Ikoyi, in the sum of about N97 million, knowing that they were false entries acted upon as genuine via about 97 Fidelity Bank Plc cheques.”

The third count stated that “you, Uchenna Abazu and Tochukwu Phillip Abazu, between 29 February, 2008 and 12 February, 2009, at Fidelity Bank Plc, 23, Awolowo Road, Ikoyi, did conspire with one another to commit a felony to wit: stealing and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 516 of the Criminal Code Act, Cap C 38 of the Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.”

The prosecutor also alleged in count four that “you Uchena Abazu and Tochukwu Phillip Abazu, between 29 February, 2008 and 12 February, 2009, at Fidelity Bank Plc, 23, Awolowo Road, Ikoyi, did steal the sum of about N97 million belonging to Fidleity Bank Plc and the Federal Government of Nigeria with about 97 Fidelity Bank Plc cheques by diverting the said amount to account number 027402010024417 with Fidelity Bank Plc and subsequently diverted part of the said amount to your account with Zenith Bank Plc and Oceanic Bank Plc and thereafter, withdrew same for your personal use and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 390 (6) and (7) of the Criminal Code Act Cap C 38 of the Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.”

The accused banker and her husband are currently on bail.