The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has arraigned three bank employees and four accomplices before Justice Daniel Osiagor of the Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos, over alleged fraud totalling N8.5 billion.

The defendants, Samuel Asiegbu, Fabian Onyeimachi, and Kingsley Kejim, all staff of Wem bank, were arraigned alongside Hannah Okunlola Adesokan, Hamza Zakariya, Achionu Ubaku, and Sunday Osademe on an eight-count charge bordering on conspiracy and obtaining money under false pretences.

According to a statement on Monday by the EFCC?s Head of Media and Publicity, Dele Oyewale, the defendants conspired to manipulate and alter bank data belonging to Wema Bank Plc in January 2025, causing a financial loss to the tune of N8,568,090,500.

Oyewale said the defendants committed an offence contrary to Section 27(1)(a) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act, 2015 and punishable under the same Act.

One of the counts reads, ?That you, Samuel IhechukwuAsiegbu, Ejim Kingsley Kelechi and other persons at large, sometime in January 2025, conspired amongst yourselves to cause loss of property to bank accounts domiciled 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.?

Another count reads: ?That you Samuel IhechukwuAsiegbu and other persons at large, sometime in January 2025, within the jurisdiction of this honourable court knowingly and without authority caused the loss of an aggregate sum of N8,568,090,500 property of Wema Bank Plc. by altering, erasing and inputting data held in accounts domiciled in Wema Bank Pic. computer for the purpose of conferring economic benefit on yourself and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 14(1) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition Prevention, etc.) Act, 2015 and punishable under the same Act.?

Oyewale said the defendants pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Following their plea, he said EFCC counsel Aso Peters requested a trial date and asked that the defendants be remanded in the Nigerian Correctional Facility.

He added that the defence counsel for Hannah Okunlola, however, pleaded that she be remanded in EFCC custody due to her health condition.

Oyewale said Justice Osiagor adjourned the case to June 6, 2025, for trial.

?Justice Osiagor adjourned the matter to June 6, 2025, for trial and remanded five of the defendants in the facility of the Nigerian Correctional Services, while Kingsley Ejim Kelechi was to continue on his existing bail. However, Hannah Okunlola was remanded in EFCC custody,? the statement added.

(The PUNCH)

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