Court remands FCMB staff in custody for alleged N23.5m fraud

Justice P. I. Ajoku of the Federal High Court sitting in Port Harcourt, Rivers State has remanded Fasiku Olusegun Rapheal, a banker and former staff of First City Monument Bank, FCMB in custody for alleged stealing and currency counterfeiting to the tune of Twenty-Three Million, Five Hundred Thousand Naira (23,500,000.00).

The defendant was arraigned by the Port Harcourt Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Monday, March 27, 2023, on a 6-count charge.

One of the counts reads: “That you, Fasiku Olusegun Raphael on or about the 11th of June, 2021, at Port Harcourt, Rivers State within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court whilst you were staff of First City Monument Bank Plc stole the sum of Ten Million, Forty, Thousand Naira (N10, 040, 000, 00) only property of Esther Imade Ehire and thereby committed an Offence punishable under Section 390 of the Criminal Code Act, Cap. C38 of the Revised Edition (Laws of the Federation of Nigeria) 2004 read together with Section 1 (1) (b) of the Failed Banks (Recovery of Debts) and Financial Malpractices in Bank Act Cap B3 of the Revised Edition (Laws of the Federation of Nigeria) 2004”.

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Another count reads, “That you, Fasiku Olusegun Raphael on or about the 13th of December, 2021, at Port Harcourt, Rivers State within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, whilst you were staff of First City Monument Bank Plc stole the sum of Eight Million Naira (N8, 000, 000, 00) only property of Okoye Peter Ikechukwu’ and thereby committed an Offence punishable under Section 390 of the Criminal Code Act, Cap. C38 of the Revised Edition (Laws of the Federation of Nigeria) 2004 read together with Section 1(1) (b) of the Failed Banks (Recovery of Debts) and Financial Malpractices in Bank Act Cap. B3 of the Revised Edition (Laws of the Federation of Nigeria) 2004”.

The defendant pleaded “not guilty” to all the charges.

In view of his plea, prosecution counsel, E. K. Bakam asked for a date for the commencement of trial and prayed that the defendant be remanded.

Counsel to the defendant, V. U. Uzorchukwu did not oppose the prayers by the prosecution

Justice Ajoku ordered that the defendant be remanded in the custody of the prosecution and the matter was adjourned till July 13, 2023, for commencement of trial.

The defendant ran into trouble when the Commission received a petition against him for allegedly stealing the sum of Twenty-Three Million, Five Hundred Thousand Naira (N23, 500,000.00) meant for fixed deposit which he converted.