Three management staff of Bank PHB, now known as Keystone bank were on Tuesdayarraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) before Justice Kudirat Jose of an Ikeja High Court, Lagos State over N855 million fraud.
The trio were arraigned alongside an Indian businessman, Ashok Isran, and his company Nulec Industries Ltd. over an alleged N855 million fraud.
The three management staff of the bank were identified as Anayo Nwosu, Olajide Oshodi and Sunny Obazee.
The defendants were re-arraigned on an 11-count amended charge bordering on conspiracy and obtaining money under false pretences.
According to News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), the defendants were first arraigned in March 2014 on a two-count charge and were granted a N50 million bail each.
In the amended charge, the EFCC’s counsel, Mr Rotimi Jacobs (SAN), alleged that the defendants defrauded a businessman, Sir Daniel Chukwudozie, of N855 million between July 2008 and August 2008 in Lagos.
Jacobs said the bank had collected the money from Chukwudozie as payment for preference shares of Nulec Industries in an upcoming initial public offer.
“The public offer did not take place and it is a ploy by the defendants to defraud the complainant.’’
The offences contravened Section 1(3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Related Offences Act, No. 14 of 2006.
The accused persons again, pleaded not guilty to the charges and the judge allowed them to enjoy the bail terms earlier granted them by the court.
Justice Jose subsequently adjourned the matter until December 13, 2016 for hearing of the no-case submission application filed by the defendants.
