The Lagos Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), on Friday, May 23, 2025, arraigned three staff members of a first-generation bank – Samuel IhechukwuAsiegbu, Fabian ChizaramOnyeimachi, and Kingsley KelechiEjim – before Justice Daniel Osiagor at the Federal High Court in Ikoyi, Lagos.
The defendants were charged alongside four other individuals – Hannah OkunlolaAdesokan, HamzaZakariya, AchionuChukwukaUbaku, and Sunday Osademe.
They face an eight-count charge bordering on conspiracy and obtaining money under false pretence, amounting to N8.5 billion.
One of the charges read: “That you, Samuel IhechukwuAsiegbu, Ejim Kingsley Kelechi, HamzaZakaria, Onyeimachi Fabian, AchionuChukwukaUbaka, Adesokan Hannah Okunlola, Nurudeen Ibrahim (at large), AlhajiSulaiman (at large), and others now at large, sometime in January 2025, conspired to cause the loss of funds from bank accounts domiciled in Wema Bank Nigeria Plc, with intent to unlawfully benefit financially, thereby committing an offence contrary to Section 27(1)(a) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act, 2015, and punishable under the same Act.”
All the defendants pleaded not guilty to the charges when read in court.
Following their plea, prosecuting counselAsoLarrys Peters requested the court to set a trial date and to remand the defendants at the Nigerian Correctional Centre.
However, counsel to Hannah Okunlola pleaded for her to be held in EFCC custody due to health concerns.
Justice Osiagor adjourned the case to June 6, 2025 for the commencement of trial.
He ordered that five of the accused be remanded in the custody of the Nigerian Correctional Service, while Kingsley EjimKelechi was allowed to remain on his existing bail conditions.
Hannah Okunlola was directed to remain in EFCC custody pending trial.
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