Islanders Magazine

EFCC arraigns another 10 Bankers, 3 CBN employees over currency scam


Another thirteen bankers were on Wednesday arraigned by Economic and Financial Crimes Commission EFCC in continuation with the prosecution of suspects in the missing eight billion naira from Central Bank of Nigeria Ibadan branch.
Among the thirteen suspects are three members of staff of Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Kolawole Babalola; Olaniran Muniru Adeola, and Toogun Kayode Philip, who also appeared yesterday and were as well connected with all three separated cases.
The First case involved five staffers of First Bank Plc, they are Isiaq Akano, Ayodele Festus Adeyemi, Oyebamiji Akeem, Ayodeji Aleshe and AjiweSunday while Idowu Oguntade that would have been the sixth one was said to be at large.
The second case has Oni Ademola Dolapo, Afolabi Esther Olunike, and Ademola Ebenezar Adewale of Wema Bank while Omotosho Abimbola had also run away.
In the third case, two members of staff of First City Monument Bank, Kehinde Fadokun and Olukunle Sijuade were joined with the same CBN staffers.
Allegation leveled the accused persons were the same which bothered on fraud, forgery and conspiracy.

At a stage, a mild drama ensued when one of the suspects, Ayodeji Aleshe who was cash assistant at First Bank said he did not understand English Language which caused some minutes delay in the prosecution until someone volunteered to serve as an interpreter.
Another attraction was the fourth accused person in third case Kehinde Fadokun who came to court with a nine month old baby boy.
At the commencement of the hearing, counsels to EFCC, Mr. Rotimi Jacob, told the court that he received some bail applications yesterday (Tuesday) which he was still studying and prayed court to remand the suspect in prison till the next adjourned date.
Meanwhile, there was no objection to this motion but Counsel to a defendant appealed that the court to remand the suspect at either SSS of EFCC custody.
Mr Musibau Adetunbi, counsel to Kehinde Fadokun, applied that the suspect be kept with the State C.I.D Iyaganku Ibadan considering the care of her baby and appealed that the court should grant her access to her child.