Court sends 2 bankers, 4 others to prison over N8.5bn fraud

The Federal High Court sitting in the Ikoyi area of Lagos State has remanded Samuel Ihechukwu and Fabian Chizaram, who are employees of one of the first generation banks.

This followed the bankers’ arraignment by the Lagos Zonal Directorate 1 of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Friday, May 23, 2025.

They were arraigned alongside their colleague – Kingsley Kelechi Ejim – and their accomplices – Hanna Okunlola Adesokan, Hamza Zakariya, Achionu Chukwuka Ubaku, and Sunday Osademe – on an eight-count charge bordering on alleged conspiracy and obtaining under false pretence to the tune of N8.5 billion.

One of the counts read: “That you SAMUEL IHECHUKWU ASIEGBU, EJIM KINGSLEY KELECHI, HAMZA ZAKARIA, ONYEIMACHI FABIAN, ACHIONU CHUKWUKA UBAKA, ADESOKAN, HANNAH OKUNLOLA, Nurudeen Ibrahim (at large). Alhaji Sulaiman (at Large) and other persons at large sometime in January 2025, conspired amongst yourselves to cause loss of property to bank accounts domicile in Wema Bank Nigeria Plc. in order to confer economic benefit to yourselves, and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 27(1)(a) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act, 2015 and punishable under the same Act.”

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The defendants pleaded not guilty to the charges when they were read to them.

Following their pleas, the prosecution counsel, Aso Larrys Peters, prayed the court for a trial date and that the defendants be remanded in the Nigeria Correctional Facility.

The presiding judge, Justice Daniel Osiagor, remanded five of the defendants in the facility of the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS), while Kelechi, who is also a banker, was to continue on his existing bail.

Hannah Okunlola was remanded in EFCC custody.

Justice Osiagor adjourned the matter to June 6, 2025, for trial.

The Star