23rd April, 2015
Paul Iyoghojie
The police at Lion Building Division, Campbell Street, Lagos Island, western Nigeria, have arrested a 31-year old graduate, Kehinde Lateef who served his one year internship with the Sterling Bank Plc, Lagos Island, for allegedly fraudulently withdrawing the sum of N53.6 million naira from the accounts of two customers of the bank.
Police alleged that the suspect conspired with three others now at large to hack into the system of the bank a few days after he completed his one year service with the bank and withdrew the sum of N49.1m from one account and N4.5m from another account and escaped.
Lateef was arrested after the management of the bank reported the stolen money to the police at Lion Building Division.
Following the report, the DPO in charge of Lion Building Division, Lagos directed a team led by Inspector Elegbede Oluranti to fish out all the suspects involved in the scam anywhere they may be found.
The police team, after one year of manhunt for the suspected scammers, tracked down Kehinde Lateef at his residence on Ishawo Road, Ikorodu, Lagos, and arrested him, while others escaped.
After investigation, Lateef was arraigned before a Tinubu Magistrates’ Court, Lagos on a three-count charge of felony to wit: stealing .
The police prosecutor, ASP Chidi Okoye said the offences the accused committed are punishable under sections 409 and 285 (1) of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State, 2011.
The accused, however, pleaded not guilty to the alleged crime in the open court and Chief Magistrate A. O. Awogboro admitted the accused on bail in the sum of N2 million with two sureties in like sum.
Awogboro adjourned the case till 6 May, 2015 for mention, while the defendant was taken to Ikoyi Prison pending when he will fulfill the bail conditions.