Court orders arrest of UBA staff over alleged N33.69m fraud

The Federal High Court in Yenagoa, has issued a warrant mandating the arrest of four staff of United Bank for Africa PLC (UBA) charged with alleged cybercrime, fraud and diversion of N33.69 million.

Justice Abimbola Awogboro made the order following failure of the suspects to appear in court on Thursday to respond to charges in a suit with file number: FHC/YNG/10c/2019.

According to the charge sheet, the four suspects allegedly manipulated the account of the Federal High Court in Yenegoa by reversing a deposit ordered by the court without authorisation.

The judge held that the warrant of arrest was an order that gave the Inspector-General of Police the legal impetus to arrest and present the suspects in court on March 30.

Mr. N.A. Timothy-Hart, the Prosecuting Counsel, from the Department of Public Prosecution (DPP), Federal Ministry of Justice had filed the motion for the warrant of arrest order on the suspects.

ALSO READ: FIRS tightens noose on deduction of stamp duty, CIT, others

The four staff members are standing trial on a four-count charge of conspiracy, stealing, fraud and cybercrime.

The suspects allegedly caused the fraudulent reversal of   N33.69 million already credited to the bank account of the Registrar of the Federal High Court, Yenagoa.

The court had ordered Nigerian Agip Oil Company to pay N33.69 million being compensation for an oil spill incident but the bankers to the oil firm UBA  allegedly reversed the payment shortly after compliance.

According to the charge, the suspects claimed to have relied on a non-existing Court of Appeal order to effect such reversal.