The last batch of suspects connected with the N8 billion fraud at the Ibadan branch of Central Bank of Nigeria have been arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.
The suspects are two workers of Zenith Bank, Ajuwon Bolade and Samuel Ogbeide, along with three members of staff of Central Bank of Nigeria, who had appeared in all the seven cases of the fraud.
With this development, the number suspects involved in the eight billion Naira fraud is now twenty seven with five of them said to be at large.
This makes the suspects currently standing trail to be twenty two in seven separate cases.
Out of this number, six are workers of Central Bank of Nigeria while the remaining sixteen are bankers from six different commercial banks in Ibadan namely, Eco- Bank, Sterling Bank, First Bank, Wema Bank, First City Monument Bank and Zenith Bank.
Over fifty counts charges bothering on fraud, forgery, conspiracy, fraudulent acquisition assets in excess of their legitimate and provable income were leveled against the accused persons.
Of note is a suspect a Cash Assistant at First Bank who allegedly has over two hundred million naira in four different accounts in another bank.
Those who appeared before Justice Adeyinka Faaj on Thursday were accused of inducing the Central Bank of Nigeria to deliver the sum of one billion, sixty million naira to Zenith Bank as against the actual sum of one hundred and fifty nine million, four hundred and thirty one thousand seven hundred naira on the false pretence that the one hundred and six boxes containing supposed mutilated currencies which were taken to the Ibadan branch of Central Bank of Nigeria contained a total sum of one billion, sixty million.
The prosecuting counsel, Mr. Rotimi Jacob moved that the suspect be kept in prison till adjourned date.
Justice Adeyinka Faaj granted the prayer and adjourned the case till 12th of June to hear their bail application
With this ruling, all the suspects are expected to be in prison except the nursing mother who was given privilege to be with Oyo Sate C.I.D Iyaganku because of her nine month old baby boy.
Commenting on the hearing which began on Tuesday, the prosecuting Counsel, Mr. Rotimi Jacob commended the two judges handling the case.
He promised to oppose their bail application noting that their freedom could slow down the pace of the hearing.
Reacting to the delay tactics of Lawyers on trial process, a defence counsel, Mr. Lekan Ojo said all Lawyers involved in the ongoing trial would contribute their quota to ensure speedy trial.
Mr. Ojo also advised Journalists to be mindful of the rights of every suspect in their reportage.
