Police dock Keystone Bank employees over alleged N35m fraud
By Jude-Ken Ojinnaka
Two employees of Keystone Bank Limited, Ebele Bernardine Okpala and Perpetua Onyeto were arraigned before a Federal High Court sitting in Lagos ove alleged conspiracy, theft, money laundering and obtaining the sum of N35 million by false presence.
The two bankers were arraigned before Justice Deinde Isaac Dipeolu by the Special Fraud Unit of the Nigeria Police, Ikoyi, Lagos.
The prosecutor, Barrister Eliot Ijie, a Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP) told the court that the two bankers committed the alleged offences sometimes in July 2023.
According to the prosecutor CSP Ijie, the first defendant, Ebele Bernardine Okpala, who worked in one of the branches of the bank in Anambra state, connived with the second defendant, Perpetua Onyeto, who worked at a branch of the bank in Nsuka, Enugu State, to commit the financial fraud.
According to the charge filed by the prosecutor, the first defendant, Mrs Okpala fraudulently obtained the sum of N35 million from a finance company into her Keystone bank account, as loan and placed lien on the account to enable her secure international travelling documents for her daughter, but later connived with the second defendant, Perpetua Onyeto to lift the lien without authorization from the bank and made away with the money in the account.
The prosecutor also told the court that the offences committed by the two defendants, contravened Sections 1(1)(c), Advance Fee Fraud and Other related Offences Act, 2006 and punishable under Section 1(3) of the same Act.
He further submitted before court that the two bankers’ acts, contravened Sections 516 and 383 (1) of Criminal Code Act LFN 2004; And Sections 21(a) and 18 (2)(d) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022 and punishable under Section 18(3) of the same Act.
The two bankers denied the allegations and pleaded not guilty to the five counts charge.
However, at resumed hearing of the charges against the two Bankers on Monday, , Justice Dipeolu, after hearing arguments on their bail applications, which was not opposed by the prosecutor, admitted the two bankers to bail in the sum of ₦10 million each with two sureties in like sum.
Besides, Justice Dipeolu ordered that one of the sureties, must be a land property owner within the court’s jurisdiction, while the second surety, must be a Grade level 16 officer in either Lagos or federal government establishment.
The matter has been adjourned to November 6, for commencement of trial for the two defendants.
