Palpable fear has gripped some prominent customers of First Bank Plc and they are contemplating closing down their accounts with the bank on account of the several fraud incidents recorded .These customers cowered in fear as most of the frauds were perpetrated by the staff of the bank.
They are scared stiff that the bank was helpless as these ugly incidents reared its head. For instance a 26 year-old employee of First Bank Plc., Omotayo Alabi, was on Monday charged before an Igbosere Magistrates’ Court in Lagos over the alleged stealing of N24.15 million.
Alabi was a Customer Care Officer at the Ondo Branch, Ondo State, of the bank and is said to be facing a five-count charge bothering on conspiracy, intent to secure unauthorised items/
Sgt. Babatope Julius, told the court that the accused committed the offences between June 10 and July 16 at the Ondo Branch, Ondo State, of the bank.
Julius said that the accused stole N24.15 million belonging to the bank.
“The accused stole N10.5 million from an account number 3031456895, N4.5 million from account number 2006365332 and N9,150,000 from account number 3023171579 belonging to the bank.
“The accused also intentionally caused the computer to perform functions with intent to secure unauthorised access to its programmes and electronic data,” he said.
Julius said that the offences contravened Sections 389, 285 and 409 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.
The accused, however, pleaded not guilty.
The Magistrate, Mrs. F.O. Aigbokhaevbo, granted the accused a N500,000 bail with two sureties in like sum.
In a related development, three of the bank employees and two of their accomplices were on Monday, January 27, arraigned before Chief Magistrate A.O. Awogboro over the theft of N6.5 million from a customer’s account.
They are facing a 12-count charge bordering on stealing, forgery and conspiracy. The accused, Timothy Ibeh, 24; Samuel Dada, 27; Adeyinka Awojobi, 29; Obaseki Ojo, 26, and Simon Abu, 26, were docked at a Tinubu Magistrate Court, Lagos
National WAVES sent an SMS to Folake Mumuney, Head, Marketing and Corporate Communications to inquire about measure put in place to prevent fraud within the bank but could not get a response as at the time of filling this report.
