Again, for the wrong reason, First City Monument Bank, (FCMB), has been caught in the criminal web of its staff tampering with the Bank’s customers account.
This followed the arrest of one staff member by name Adebayo Ayokunle, who has been charged before a Lagos Magistrate Court for allegedly helping himself with N30 million from the Bank’s coffers and successfully converting same to his personal use barely a year after gaining employment.
The 29 year old banker, who was attached to the E-Settlement Unit of the Bank situated at Akoka branch, Lagos took to his heels as soon as he conveniently and successfully converted the money into his personal use.
However, the long arm of the law caught up with him as the police moved in based on a report of the Bank’s audited account which opened the eyes of the management to the illegal act.
The report of the audited Akoka branch account made the Bank’s management to quickly move and contact the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) in charge of Lion Building Division, Lagos Island, Lagos.
Accordingly, the DPO immediately directed his men led by Inspector Akubor Hassan to smoke out the suspect Adebayo Ayokunle from his hideout.
Following painstaking intelligence gathering, the Police successfully tracked Ayokunle to where he was hibernating in Lagos and arrested him.
The arrested Ayokunle, believed to be a resident of Agric Area of Ikorodu, Lagos, was taken before the Tinubu Magistrate’s Court, Lagos on one count charge of stealing Marked M/08/2022.
The Prosecuting Police Counsel, Inspector Hafsat Ajibode told the Court that the defendant committed the offence between February and March, 2019 at the E-Settlement Unit of the bank, Akoka branch, Lagos barely a year after securing the job.
Inspector Ajibode also told the Court that Ayokunle betrayed the trust reposed on him by his employer as a Settlement Officer at the Akoka branch of the bank by fraudulently stealing N30 million from the Bank’s account and later escaped before he was arrested.
The Police Counsel further said the offence committed by Ayokunle is contrary to section 280 and punishable under section 287(7) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.
Ayokunle however, pleaded not guilty when the charge was read to him.
Accordingly, the Magistrate, Mrs Gbajumo Ayoku granted him N2 million bail with two sureties in like sum and adjourned the case to May 18, 2022 for the commencement of trial.
The Magistrate directed that the defendant should be kept at the Ikoyi Correctional Center pending when he is able to perfect his bail conditions.
