Western Union fraud: Two bank officials arraigned, granted bail

Two officials of Skye Bank Plc, Agodi, Ibadan branch, have been arraigned before a chief magistrate’s court on a three-count charge of forgery and stealing.

According to the charge, the bank officials, Funmi Adekanbi and Adebukola Ademola, were accused of conspiring to commit felony including forgery and stealing, thereby committing an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 516 of the Criminal Code Cap 38 Voll. II Laws of Oyo State of Nigeria 2000.

They were accused of forging the name of Kazeem Oludare Olukunle on a Western Union Money Transfer form to receive money with the intent to steal, contrary to and punishable under Section 467 of the Criminal Code Cap 38 Voll. II Laws of Oyo State of Nigeria 2000.

They were further accused of unlawfully and fraudulently stealing $3,300 being property of one Rotimi Onadipe and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 383 and punishable under Section 390 (a) of the Criminal Code Cap 38 Voll. II Laws of Oyo State of Nigeria 2000.

The accused pleaded not guilty to the charges and were subsequently granted bail by the chief m agistrate, Mrs. O. Oyediran.

They were granted bail with two sureties having two years tax clearance and N500,000.

The case was subsequently adjourned till April 27, 2011.

Onadipe, who is the Chief Executive Director, Pure Honey Ventures, Ibadan, had earlier petitioned the Governor, Central Bank of Nigeria, Mallam Sanusi Lamido, and the Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Hafiz Ringim, over the alleged Western Union Money Transfer fraud in bank.

Onadipe, in the petition dated December 27, 2010, a copy of which was made available to our correspondent in Ibadan, Oyo State capital, claimed that he lost $3,300 in two instalments of $1,800 and $1,500 each to the nefarious activities of some officials of the Agodi branch of the bank in Ibadan.

He said the amount was sent to him on March 13, 2009 by his Malaysia-based business partner, Dr. Matthew Sebastian. The money, he explained, was meant for some consignments of honey to be supplied to Sebastian.

Onadipe said he was shocked when he could not access the money at a branch of another bank in Mokola, Ibadan.

He added that upon investigation, it was revealed that the money was picked up at the Agodi branch of Skye Bank about 21 minutes after it was sent.
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