The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) maybe shielding a suspected fraudulent banker with one of the commercial banks in Enugu (name withheld) from prosecution over a case of obtaining by false pretence the sum of N219,034 901.50.

Counsel to OHHA Micro Finance Bank, based in Enugu State, Mr. Olu Omotayo, in a letter to the EFCC head of operations in southeast, lamented that for about one a half years since the matter was reported to the commission, the suspect was yet to be charged to court even when the EFCC said it has concluded investigation on the matter.

The suspect who works with a commercial bank in Enugu was said to have collected the said amount from the microfinance bank for deposit in the commercial bank but till date, the money was not found in the accounts of the commercial bank.

Omotayo said the matter was first reported to the EFCC in January 2018, and was further referred for thorough investigation by the Chairman of the EFCC based on a petition made to him on the 4th July 2018.

“Our client was happy when the BF (Bank Fraud) Section which investigated the matter informed us sometimes in the month of October 2018, that investigation into the matter has been concluded and the file is now in the legal section and the matter would soon be charged to court. Six months later the suspect who obtained N219 Million Naira by false pretence is walking the street a free man and boasting that nothing will happen.

“The money stolen by (name withheld) is depositors’ money (poor people in the society). The Legal section up till date refused to charge the suspect to court.

Sometimes in February 2019, I accompanied the Managing Director and another Director of Ohha Microfinance bank to meet the Head of legal Section and he assured us that the suspect would soon be charged to court as they are amending the charge to reflect that the matter will be charged at the Federal High Court and to also reflect the offence of obtaining by false pretence.

“It is now two months after and nothing has been done. Our client believes that with the way things are going in this matter they may not get justice in this case hence the appeal to your office to ensure that this suspect is charged to court forthwith,” Omotayo pleaded.

He said that the war against corruption of the Federal government will be meaningless if after investigation the case file against a suspect is dumped somewhere and the suspect allowed to go scot-free, noting that “Justice delayed is justice denied.”

•Adapted from a Vanguard report.

Update news