16th May, 2011
The police at the Bar Beach Police Division, Victoria Island, Lagos State, southwest Nigeria, have arrested and arraigned a man for allegedly attempting to defraud Union Bank Plc of N1.8million.
He was arraigned before an Igbosere Magistrate’s Court on a three-count charge to commit felony to wit, fraud. The incident occurred at Spring Bank Plc situated at 143 Ahmadu Bello Way, Victoria Island, Lagos.
The police alleged that the 39-year old Ogunlana Samuel Adekunle, a.k.a. Adenuga Ebunoluwa Kehinde on 12 April, 2011 in a bid to defraud Union Bank Plc forged a driver’s licence No. AA4060AA and Union Bank Plc dividend warrant No. 00635293 and falsely presented them to Spring Bank Plc to defraud Union Bank of N1,810,000 an act he knew was false, and knowing that he is not the account owner.
When the Spring Bank officials discovered that the documents he presented were forged, they invited the police to arrest the fraudster
During interrogation, the accused allegedly confessed to the crime and was charged with intent to defraud, an offence which the prosecuting police officer Sergeant Ope Hakeem claimed were punishable under Section 516 and 464 of the Criminal Code, Cap. 17 vol. 2, laws of Lagos State of Nigeria, 2004.
The accused pleaded not guilty and the presiding magistrate, Mrs. O. A. Ogunbowale, granted him bail in the sum of N1million with one surety in like sum and adjourned the matter till 6 July, 2011.
The defendant was ordered to be remanded in prison custody when he could not fulfil the bail conditions before the court closed for the day.
—Paul Iyoghojie