The Abuja Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes
Commission, EFCC, on Monday, February 12 2024 arraigned a former banker with
one of the old generation banks: Victor Joseph and Ahmad Muhhammad Aliyu on
money laundering charges to the tune of N110,000,000 (One Hundred and Ten
Million Naira) only.
They were arraigned on five-count charges bordering on money
laundering before Justice N.E. Maha of the Federal High Court Maitama Abuja.
Count two of the charge reads ‘that you Victor Joseph being a
former staff of the United Bank for Africa, Ahmad Muhammad Aliyu and another
now at large, between March and April 2023 in Abuja within the Judicial
Division of this Honourable Court, did indirectly take control of an aggregate
sum of N110,000,000.00 (One Hundred and Ten Million Naira) which you knew or
reasonably ought to know represents proceed of unlawful act to wit; obtaining
money by false pretense and you thereby committed an offence contrary to
Section 18 (2)(d) of the Money Laundering Prohibition Act, 2002 and punishable
under Section 18 (3) of the same Act."
Upon reading their charges to them, both defendants pleaded
not guilty, prompting Prosecution counsel, Joshua Saidi to pray for a trial
date. Counsels to the first and second defendants, Gbenga Ashowole and Nelem
Orji informed the court of applications for bail for their clients.
Justice Maha thereafter remanded the defendants at the Kuje
Correctional Centre and adjourned the matter till February 27, 2024 for hearing
of bail applications.
The defendants were docked for allegedly transferring N110,
000,000.00 (One Hundred and Ten Million Naira) fraudulently from the National
Assembly office account between March 27 and April 11 2023, using fictitious
transfer instructions.
Further investigations showed that the forged instructions
were submitted at the UBA National Assembly Business office, Abuja Branch, for
processing and the funds were transferred to various beneficiaries in three
banks.
The money was traced from these three banks to several other beneficiaries who later returned the funds to Joseph that initiated the transactions.
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| Victor Joseph being a former staff of the United Bank |
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| Ahmad Muhammad Aliyu |
