The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Lagos Zonal Directorate 1, on Friday, May 23, 2025, arraigned three bank employees and four others before Justice Daniel Osiagor of the Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos, over an alleged N8.5 billion fraud.
The bankers — Samuel Ihechukwu Asiegbu, Fabian Chizaram Onyeimachi, and Kingsley Kelechi Ejim — were arraigned alongside their alleged accomplices: Hanna Okunlola Adesokan, Hamza Zakariya, Achionu Chukwuka Ubaku, and Sunday Osademe.
They were brought before the court on an eight-count charge bordering on conspiracy and obtaining money under false pretence, involving a total sum of N8,568,090,500, reportedly diverted from accounts domiciled in Wema Bank Nigeria Plc.
One of the charges reads:
“That you SAMUEL IHECHUKWU ASIEGBU, EJIM KINGSLEY KELECHI, HAMZA ZAKARIA, ONYEIMACHI FABIAN, ACHIONU CHUKWUKA UBAKA, ADESOKAN HANNAH OKUNLOLA, Nurudeen Ibrahim (at large), Alhaji Sulaiman (at large), and others still at large, sometime in January 2025, conspired among yourselves to cause loss of property to bank accounts domiciled in Wema Bank Nigeria Plc., in order to confer economic benefit to yourselves, thereby committing an offence contrary to Section 27(1)(a) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act, 2015 and punishable under the same Act.”
Another count stated that the accused persons allegedly manipulated data in Wema Bank’s systems to siphon the funds for personal gain, an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 14(1) of the Cybercrimes Act, 2015.
All seven defendants pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Following their pleas, EFCC counsel Aso Larrys Peters requested a trial date and that the defendants be remanded in the Nigerian Correctional Facility.
Defence counsel, however, appealed to the court to remand one of the defendants, Hanna Okunlola, in EFCC custody due to health concerns.
Justice Osiagor granted the request, remanding five of the accused in the custody of the Nigerian Correctional Services (NCS), while allowing Kingsley Kelechi Ejim to remain on his existing bail terms. Hanna Okunlola was remanded in EFCC custody.
The case was adjourned to June 6, 2025, for commencement of trial.