Eromosele Ebhomele
Bawa Momodu
A banker, Bawa Momodu, is standing before Justice I.E Ekwo of the Federal High Court sitting in Port Harcourt, Rivers State on a 16-count charge bordering on forgery, uttering and stealing to the tune of N27 million.
He was arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, after his arrest.
The petitioner, Sterling Bank Plc, alleged that Momodu, a former staff of the bank, stole the said amount from the account of one of the bank’s customers.
The accused allegedly forged the signature of the said account holder, and fraudulently withdrew the money from the bank.
Investigations by the EFCC further revealed that the said amount was transferred to the Sterling Bank account of one Emilia Ugwandu, who is now at large, in a bid to hide the source of the stolen funds.
The accused pleaded not guilty to the charges preferred against him.
One of the counts against Momodu read: “that you Bawa Momodu, male, on or before the 17th day of December, 2012 in Port Harcourt, within the jurisdiction of this honorable court did present to officials of Sterling Bank Plc a forged Sterling Bank Fund Transfer document No. 1238802 in favor of Don Kumy Ventures Nigeria Limited, with the intent that Sterling Bank Plc may act upon it as genuine and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 1(2)(c) of the Miscellaneous Offences Act, Cap M17, Revised Edition, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria Act, 2007 and punishable under Section 1(2) of the same Act.”
In view of his plea, the prosecution counsel, A. Olatunji, asked for a date for the commencement of trial.
However, the defence counsel, K. Allen Nwogwama, prayed the court to grant his client bail.
Justice Ekwo granted the accused person bail in the sum of N7 million with one surety in like sum.
The surety, according …Read More
Source:: PM Newspaper
