The Lagos Zonal Directorate 1 of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Friday, May 23, 2025, arraigned the trio of Samuel Ihechukwu, Fabian Chizaram and Kingsley Kelechi Ejim, who are employees of one of the first-generation banks, before Justice Daniel Osiagor of the Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos.
They were arraigned alongside their accomplices, Hanna Okunlola Adesokan, Hamza Zakariya, Achionu Chukwuka Ubaku and Sunday Osademe on an eight-count charge bordering on alleged conspiracy and obtaining under false pretence to the tune of N8.5bn (Eight Billion, Five Million Naira only).
One of the counts reads: “That you SAMUEL IHECHUKWU ASIEGBU, EJIM KINGSLEY KELECHI, HAMZA ZAKARIA, ONYEIMACHI FABIAN, ACHIONU CHUKWUKA UBAKA, ADESOKAN, HANNAH OKUNLOLA, Nurudeen Ibrahim (at large). Alhaji Sulaiman (at Large) and other persons at large sometime in January 2025, conspired amongst yourselves to cause loss of property to bank accounts domicile in Wema Bank Nigeria Plc. to confer economic benefit to yourselves, and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 27(1)(a) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act, 2015 and punishable under the same Act.
Another count reads: “That you SAMUEL IHECHUKWU ASIEGBU and other persons at large, sometime in January 2025, within the jurisdiction of this honorable court knowingly and without authority caused the loss of an aggregate sum of N8,568,090,500 (Eight Billion, Five Hundred and Sixty-eight Milion, Ninety Thousand, Five Hundred Naira) property of Wema Bank Plc. by altering, erasing and inputting data held in accounts domicile in Wema Bank Pic. Computer to confer economic benefit on yourself and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 14(1) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act, 2015 and punishable under the same Act.
They pleaded not guilty to the charges when they were read to them.
Given their pleas, the prosecution counsel, Aso Larrys Peters, prayed the court for a trial date and that the defendants be remanded in the Nigerian Correctional Facility.
Responding, the defence counsel prayed the court to remand his client, Hanna Okunlola, in the EFCC custody because of her ill health.
Justice Osiagor adjourned the matter to June 6, 2025 for trial and remanded five of the defendants in the facility of the Nigerian Correctional Services (NCS), while Kingsley Ejim Kelechi was to continue on his existing bail.
However, Hannah Okunlola was remanded in EFCC custody.
