Cashier Docked For Defrauding Finance House Of N48.4m
The Economic Crimes and Financial Commission (EFCC) on Monday, arraigned a cashier with a financial house, Global Trust Savings and Loans Limited, Patience Okoli, before the Lagos State High Court sitting in Ikeja for stealing the sum of N48.439,800 million, belonging to the financial house.
Okoli was arraigned before Justice Serifat Solebo by the EFCC, on 100 counts charge of fraud, forgery and stealing of the said sum.
The anti-graft agency alleged that the cashier had, between September 2007 and February 2009, while acting in her capacity, fraudulently forged and altered several withdrawal slips of the finance house in carrying out the heinous act.
The commission in count one, alleged that the accused had, between September 26, 2007, and October 9, 2008, with intent to defraud, stolen the sum of N775, 000, by fraudulently depositing and withdrawing the money from one Clara Obiejamu’s account.
She was alleged to have between January 21, 2008, and February 4, 2009, fraudulently withdrawn a total sum of N27. 734, 900 million from the account of John Odu, a customer to her employer.
The EFCC further accused her in count 75 of the charge, to have sometimes in February, 2009, with an intent to defraud and in order to facilitate stealing, fraudulently forged a withdrawal slip numbered 0081678, in the sum of N900,000, which she claimed to have been signed by one John Odu.
While in count 100 of the charge, the accused was accused of defrauding her employer of the sum of N200, 000, by forging and altering a withdrawal slip of the company, which she claimed to have been signed by John Odu.
The offences, according to the counsel to the EFCC, George Yakua, are contrary to sections 390 (8), 467, 468, of the Criminal Code Law Cap. C17, Laws of Lagos state, 2003.
The accused person, however, pleaded not guilty to all the charges.
The defence counsel, Festus Afeleyedion, pleaded with the court to let her client continue with the previous bail terms granted her when she was first arraigned sometimes in 2012.
Justice Solebo conceded to the lawyer’s request and adjourned the matter till February 16, for commencement of trial.
