The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission
(EFCC), on Monday, arraigned, First City Monument Bank, (FCMB )
alongside two of its employees-Timothy Shoon, an account officer
and Obende Thomas, head of operations-before Justice Mobolaji Olajuwon
of the Federal High Court, Makurdi, Benue State on three-count charges
that bother on advance fee fraud and criminal negligence.
One
of the charges reads: “That you, First City Monument Bank being a
financial institution, sometime in February, 2018, in Makurdi within the
jurisdiction of this honourable court, as a result of your negligence,
failed to exercise due diligence as specified in the Banks and Other
Financial Institutions Act 1991 (as amended) and thereby committed an
offence contrary to Section 7(3)(a) of Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud
Related Offences Act 2009 and punishable under the same Act."
They
pleaded not guilty to the charges, setting the stage for the
prosecution counsel, G. G. Chia-Yakua to ask the court for a trial date
and for the defendants to be remanded in prison custody. Counsel to
defendants, F.M.E. Nezan, however, made an oral application for their
bail on liberal terms.
Justice
Olajuwon granted them bail in the sum of N1,000,000. 00 (One Million
Naira) each, with one surety in like sum. The sureties must come from
reputable companies or banks and not below the level of the
defendants. The sureties must also present a letter of identification
from their employers to the court and must show evidence of tax
clearance, as well as submit two recent passport photographs of
themselves, while their addresses and documents presented to court must
be verified by the registrar and the prosecutor.
The
case was adjourned to December 10, 2019 for trial, whilethe defendants
were remanded in a Correctional Centre, pending the perfection of their
bail conditions
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