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EFCC charges Heritage Bank MD, others with N1bn fraud


 

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has charged the Managing Director of Heritage Bank Plc , Ifiesimama Sekibo , and five others before the Lagos State High Court in Ikeja for an alleged fraud of N 1 bn .


Sekibo was charged along with Dimire Dike, Wumi Adeniyi , Kolapo Daisi , Funmilayo Taiwo and Akeem Durotoye .
The charges border, among others, on conspiracy , stealing , obtaining money under false pretences and forgery .


The EFCC alleged that the defendants obtained the sum of N 1bn from Heritage Bank Plc “ by falsely representing the sum as proceeds of Vlamings Professional Limited’s investment in Heritage Bank Plc .”
It accused them of dishonestly converting the N1 bn , being Heritage Bank ’ s property , to their own.


They were accused of forging a document titled ‘RE : Expression of Interest in Agric Fund Management Scheme . ”
According to the anti - graft agency, the defendants allegedly forged the document dated April 2 , 2015, “ purporting it to be a loan scheme executed in favour of Vlamings Professionals Limited. ”


The EFCC claimed that the defendants sent the document to it (EFCC ), hoping it would be mistaken as genuine .
They also allegedly forged another document titled, “ Agric Management Scheme ” purporting that it was approved by Heritage Bank Plc .


In the 10 count bordering on accessory to an act or offence contrary to sections 8 (b) and 1(3 ) of the Advance Fee Fraud and other related offences Act, 2006, the EFCC accused Dike, Adeniyi and Akeem of “ procuring false Heritage Bank agric fund scheme documents as a means of disguising the evidence against the said bank ’ s staff to enable them to escape prosecution. ”


Counsel for the EFCC , Ekene Iheanacho , said the defendants committed the offence between February 2015 and February 2017.
According to him , among others, they allegedly acted contrary to sections 285 (8 ), 363 (3 )(h) and 364 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State 2011.
The court has yet to fix a date for the arraignment of the defendants.

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