LAGOS, NIGERIA (VOICE OF NAIJA) –A former bank manager at FCMB, Onitsha branch, Nwachukwu Placidus, has been sentenced to 121 years in prison for embezzling N112 million from a customer’s account.
Placidus diverted fixed deposit funds totaling N112,100,000 from a customer for his personal gain.
Spokesperson for the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Dele Oyewale, in a statement said Placidus was arrested following a petition by Idemili Microfinance Bank LTD to the EFCC.
The management of the Microfinance back said the sum of N112million was handed over to him as the branch manager of FCMB in Onitsha, for fixed deposit.
However, the petitioner said when the FCMB was approached to terminate and withdraw the deposit, the bank denied receiving the said funds.
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“Upon receipt of the petition, the EFCC swung into action and investigations revealed that the convict diverted the money for his own use and issued a fake fixed deposit certificate to the petitioner,” Oyewale said.
The judgement was delivered by Justice S. N. Odili of the Anambra State High Court in Onitsha, after Placidus was arraigned on Tuesday, March 27, 2018, by the Enugu Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.
According to a statement by EFCC Spokesperson, Dele Oyewale, the Convict faced 16-count charges including forgery, theft, obtaining by false pretence, and uttering.
The statement detailed one of the counts as follows:
“Nwachukwu Placidus between February 2009 and November 2014 in Onitsha, Anambra State within the jurisdiction of the Anambra State High Court of Nigeria with intent to defraud obtained the sum of (N112,100,000) One Hundred and Twelve Million, One Hundred Thousand Naira only, from Idemili Microfinance Bank under the false pretence that you have placed the said money in a fixed deposit account with First City Monument Bank PLC for it, which pretence you knew to be false and you thereby committed an offence.”
Upon his plea of not guilty, the trial proceeded during which the EFCC, represented by counsel Mainforce Adaka Ekwu, presented four witnesses and submitted several relevant documents as evidence.
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While delivering his judgment, Justice S. N. Odili of the Anambra State High Court sitting in Onitsha, Anambra State, held that “the prosecution proved its case beyond reasonable doubt” and sentenced the convict to nine years imprisonment on count 3, 4 years on count 4 and 9 years on counts 5 to 16 respectively. He was discharged on counts 1 and 2. The sentences shall run concurrently.
The court further ordered the convict to restitute the said sum to his victim, Idemili Microfinance Bank.