Ex-bank staffer Idowu sent to prison for allegedly stealing customer’s N31m

By Paul Iyoghojie

Operatives of the Force Criminal Investigation Department, FCID, Alagbon Close, Ikoyi, Lagos, South West, Nigeria have arrested a former staffer of Access Bank Plc attached to the Ikotun branch of the bank, Olamilekan Idowu, 31, and charged him before a Lagos Magistrate’s Court for allegedly obtaining the sum of N31.4m by false pretence.

Police alleged that the defendant collected the N31.4m from the complainant Nafiu Saleh while he was still in service with the promise to sell dollars equivalent for the complainant, but that the defendant instead converted the money to his use and failed to provide the dollars for the complainant.

Police further alleged that when all efforts by the complainant to retrieve the money from the defendant proved futile, he petitioned the Inspector General of Police, IGP who referred the case to FCID, Alagbon, Lagos for detailed investigation.

Following the referral, crack operatives of FCID swung into action, arrested the defendant and charged him before the Tinubu Magistrate’s Court on a two-count charge bordering on obtaining under false pretence and conversion.

Police counsel, Amedu Adoga told the court in the charge marked V/27/2023 that the defendant committed the offence in June 2023 while still serving as an employee of Access Bank Plc.

Adoga informed the court that the defendant tricked the complainant into believing that he had dollars to sell as a banker and the complainant believed him and gave him the sum of N31,4m on trust to change to dollars equivalent for him, but that the defendant instead converted the money to his use and failed to provide the dollars equivalent for him till date leading to his arrest.

He said the offences, the defendant committed were contrary to and punishable under Sections 314 (3) and 287 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.

The defendant, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges and the presiding Magistrate granted him N1m bail with two sureties in like sum.

The Magistrate adjourned the case till 23 October 2023 for mention and ordered that the defendant be kept at the Ikoyi Correctional facility till he perfected the bail conditions.