Banker jailed for stealing N49m, $368,000 via money transfer

 Juliana Francis

Adesakin

A former staff of First Bank of Nigeria Limited, Oreoluwa Adesakin, was on Monday handed a cumulative 98 years in prison for stealing N49m, $368,000 while in charge of effecting payments through Western Union Money Transfer and Money Gram platforms.

Adesakin, who was arraigned by the Ibadan Zonal Office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, (EFCC), on 14-count charges, bordering on stealing, forgery and fraudulent accounting, was convicted by Justice Muniru Olagunju of the Oyo State High Court.

She was found to have committed financial fraud against her First Bank to the tune of N49,320,652.32 and additional $368,203.00 belonging to the bank which she converted to her personal use.

The EFCC spokesman, Wilson Uwujaren, explained: “The convict was arraigned on April 4, 2014 by the EFCC, following a conclusion of investigations against her which arose from a petition from her former employer, dated December 18, 2013. The bank alleged in the petition that Adesakin, as its Money Transfer Operator, saddled with the responsibility of effecting payments through Western Union Money Transfer and Money Gram platforms, fraudulently manipulated accounting and withdrew the total sums of N49,320,652.32 and another $368,203.00 for herself, which the bank only uncovered while reviewing its internal account.”

He added that the Commission was also able to establish that the convict used part of the proceeds of her crime to acquire landed properties in different parts of Oyo State.

One of the charges read: “That you Oreoluwa Adesakin sometime between the months of May, 2013 and November, 2013, at Ibadan, within the Ibadan Judicial Division, whilst being a staff of First Bank PLC stole the sum of N25,974,116.13 from First Bank PLC MoneyGram Payment Naira Account, property of First bank PLC.”

She pleaded not guilty to all the charges, which necessitated her trial.

Prosecution counsel, Usman Murtala in arguing his case, presented every vital document and witnesses which nailed the convict.

The judge noted that the EFCC amassed a pool of incontrovertible evidence against the convict and did a diligent investigation and prosecution. He pronounced Adesakin guilty of all the charges, sentencing her to seven years in prison without an option of fine on each of the 14 counts, which will run concurrently.

Apart from the jail term, the convict is also to restitute the First Bank, through the EFCC, all the money she stole.