A fraud victim, Austin Albert Ugochukwu, had informed a federal high court sitting in Lagos that United Bank of Africa, UBA and First City Monument Bank, FCMB were used by suspected fraudsters to rip him of his hard earned monies.
To this end Justice Hadiza Rabiu-Shagari, has summoned the banks to come and explain their roles in the transactions.
Four accused persons, were arraigned before the court by the Force Criminal Intelligence and Investigation Department, FCIID, Alagbon-Ikoyi, Lagos.
One of the four accused is Anthony Alaska, a former member of the House of Representatives representing Eti-Osa Federal Constituency, Saidi Oke, Bashir Mohammed: and Alhaji Umar Ali.
They were arraigned for alledged conspiracy and fraud to the tune of N131. 2 million.
Two firms: Grantland Investment Nigeria Limited and Abroad Development Foundation were also charged along with them.
In her ruling, Justice Rabiu-Shagari, summoned the banks and ordered that hearing notice should issue to them.
Earlier the complainant had, told the court how each of the accused persons induced him to give them the sum of N350 million in exchange for $1 million, and how they reneged.
“I transfered the sum of N350 million from my Bank account, to Grantland Investment Nigeria Limited, domiciled in UBA and FCMB, belonging to Alhaji Umar (fourth defendant), from my account. And since the money was paid, the fourth defendant refused to pick my calls, it was then I told my account officer to place post-no-debit order on the account, so that they would not be able to access the money.
“I was surprised, when the fourth defendant who have not being picking my calls, quickly called and said he was with the General (first accused) and was confirming the Dollars cash, and wanted to transfer the N350 million into the account of Grantland investment Limited, before General will allow him to bring the $1 million to me, but my account has been restricted, and told me to lift the restriction, so that he can come to me with the dollars”.
Ugochukwu said he refused the fourth accused person plea, but later yielded due to the intervention of one Dr. Cyraicus Anyawu, who is now at large, whom he said convinced him in Ibo language, and that he later called his account officer to lift the restriction.
According to him, after he lifted the restriction, the second accused, Saidi Oke, only came to him with $29,199, USD, and promised to come on the next day with the balance of $870,100, USD, but to his surprise, the second accused called and told him that he was at the Ikoyi office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, where a petition was written against him and seller of the Dollars.
Ugochukwu further told the court that he collapsed when it dawned on him that he had been defrauded.
Before wrapping up the day’s proceedings, the court also renewed its earlier bench warrant issued against Dr. Chukwuemeka Cyraicus Anyanwu, 50: Agboola Rasheed Gbade, 67: Nkechi Nwafor, 43: and Larry Balogun Otunba, 51, who were also mentioned in the charge.
The police in the amended charge marked FHC/L/327c/2017, alledged that the four suspects and others now at large, had on June 15, 2017, at Lekki area of Lagos State, conspired among themselves to obtain the sum of N312.2 million part of N359 million, from Austin Albert, under false pretence of selling to the complaint $1 million USD.
The police also alledged that the four after fraudulently received the money from the victim, converted same to their personal use.
