Nigerian Banker, One Other Arraigned Over 'Fraudulent Transfer' Of N110Million From National Assembly Account

On Monday, the Abuja Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) brought charges against a former banker from an old generation bank, Victor Joseph, and one Ahmad Muhammad Aliyu. The charges relate to money laundering, amounting to N110,000,000.00 (One Hundred and Ten Million Naira only).

They were arraigned on five counts bordering on money laundering before Justice N.E. Maha of the Federal High Court Maitama in Abuja.

Count two of the charge reads: “That you Victor Joseph being a former staff of the United Bank for Africa, Ahmad Muhammad Aliyu and another now at large, between March and April 2023 in Abuja within the Judicial  Division of this Honourable Court, did indirectly take control of an aggregate sum of N110,000,000.00 (One Hundred and Ten Million Naira) which you knew or reasonably ought to know represents proceed of an unlawful act to wit; obtaining money by false pretense and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 18 (2)(d) of the Money  Laundering Prohibition Act, 2002  and punishable under Section 18 (3) of the same Act.”

Upon reading their charges to them, both defendants pleaded not guilty, prompting the prosecution counsel, Joshua Saidi to pray for a trial date.

The lawyers representing the first and second defendants, Gbenga Ashowole and Nelem Orji, informed the court of applications for bail for their clients.

Justice Maha thereafter remanded the defendants at the Kuje Correctional Centre and adjourned the matter till February 27, 2024, for hearing of bail applications.

The defendants were arraigned for allegedly transferring N110,000,000.00 (One Hundred and Ten Million Naira) fraudulently from the National Assembly office account between March 27 and April 11 2023, using fictitious transfer instructions.

Further investigations showed that the forged instructions were submitted at the UBA National Assembly Business Office, Abuja branch, for processing and the funds were transferred to various beneficiaries in three banks.

The money was traced from the three banks to several other beneficiaries who later returned the funds to Joseph who initiated the transactions.