The strike embarked upon by judiciary workers on Friday stalled the trial of a former Managing Director of Bank PHB, Francis Atuche.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Atuche and his wife, Elizabeth, are standing trial for allegedly stealing N25.7 billion belonging to Bank PHB (now Keystone Bank).
Francis Atuche
They are being prosecuted alongside a former Chief Financial Officer of the bank, Ugo Anyanwu, before Justice Lateefat Okunnu of an Ikeja High Court.
On Friday, the defendants, their counsel and the prosecution appeared before the court for the continuation of the trial.
However, the court’s registrars informed the parties that the National Executive Council of the Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN) had ordered its members to go on strike.
The registrars said the court would not be sitting in compliance with the JUSUN directive.
The matter was consequently adjourned till July 18.
Atuche, who was slated to continue his testimony, had earlier denied the theft charge preferred against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
The former bank chief had said that he could not engage in theft because of his Catholic upbringing.
He had also narrated to the court how he grew a mortgage finance company, Pinnacle Investment Ltd., and transformed it into Platinum Bank Plc.
Atuche said the bank had to merge with Habib Bank due to the N25 billion bank recapitalisation ordered by the then Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor, Prof. Charles Soludo.
According to him, the merger gave birth to Bank PHB which became one of the strongest banks in Nigeria whilst he was the Chief Executive Officer. (NAN)
