A former manager with a branch of First City Monument Bank, FCMB in Onitsha, Anambra State, Nwachukwu Placidus, has been sentenced to a cumulative 121 years imprisonment for stealing N112 million belonging to a customer.

Placidus was arrested following a petition by Idemili Microfinance Bank LTD to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.

The management of the Microfinance back said the sum of N112 million was handed over to him as the branch manager of FCMB in Onitsha, for fixed deposit.

However, the petitioner said when the FCMB was approached to terminate and withdraw the deposit, the bank denied receiving the said funds.

“Upon receipt of the petition, the EFCC swung into action and investigations revealed that the convict diverted the money for his own use and issued a fake fixed Deposit Certificate to the petitioner,” Dele Oyewale, spokesperson for the EFCC said in a statement.

Consequently, Placidus was arraigned on Tuesday, March 27, 2018 on 16-count charges bordering on forgery, stealing, obtaining by false pretence and uttering, by the Enugu Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.

One of the counts reads: “Nwachukwu Placidus between February 2009 and November 2014 in Onitsha, Anambra State within the jurisdiction of the Anambra State High Court of Nigeria with intent to defraud obtained the sum of (N112,100,000) One Hundred and Twelve Million, One Hundred Thousand Naira only, from Idemili Microfinance Bank under the false pretence that you have placed the said money in a fixed deposit account with First City Monument Bank PLC for it, which pretence you knew to be false and you thereby committed an offence”.

He pleaded not guilty to the charges when they were read to him, thus setting the stage for his trial.

In the course of trial, the EFCC, through its counsel, Mainforce Adaka Ekwu presented four witnesses and tendered several relevant documents which were admitted in evidence.

While delivering his judgment, Justice S. N. Odili of the Anambra State High Court sitting in Onitsha, Anambra State, held that “the prosecution proved its case beyond reasonable doubt” and sentenced the convict to nine years imprisonment on count 3, 4 years on count 4 and 9 years on counts 5 to 16 respectively. He was discharged on counts 1 and 2. The sentences shall run concurrently.

The court further ordered the convict to restitute the said sum to his victim, Idemili Microfinance Bank.

A Nigerian man, identified as Israel Joe, has narrated how his friend, Roseline, died after she was pushed into a boiling pot of fresh pepper and tomatoes by her two female friends in Sapele, Delta State.

Joe stated that Roseline, a caterer, went on a trip with her friends to Sapele for a catering job where she tragically passed away on Saturday, April 13.

In a Facebook post on Friday, Joe said that before her untimely death, Roseline confided in him about two of her friends who were treating her coldly.

He urged the Nigeria Police to investigate and arrest the killers of Roseline, pointing out that no progress has been made in the case since her murder.

Joe’s post read, “She was pushed into a big boiling pot of fresh pepper and tomatoes by her friend on Saturday, 13th April. She battled for about two weeks with her roasted/boiled body and finally ḍíęɗ last week Friday 26th April.

“Nobody in the neighborhood in Otokutu knew Roseline had been allegedly kíIIed by these same friends. She was buried with no one to bid her goodbye and with no single bųríaI poster to honour her. Just two days in the morgue, the mørtųarƴ attendants demanded she be carried away to be buried.

“She traveled with them for a catering job in Sapele where they were speaking their local language with this Yoruba girl, Rozzy, not understanding their conversation.

“All of a sudden, she landed in a very big pot of boiling fresh pepper and tomatoes where they even still delayed in rescuing her. She was later rushed to Sage Hospital by Estate in Warri, where they managed the situation, but my friend couldn’t make it.”

Joe said he was pained that those responsible for her death were still walking free.

He added, “What pains me is that these two girls are still walking and gallivanting everywhere like nothing happened. I hate intimidation and oppression, especially against non-indigenous persons. The police must smoke them out so they can face the law. Na God dey help who nor get helper.

“We shall fight for Rozzy. You can not just be kíIIęɗ like a chicken and bųřried like an aŋímąl. Nobody deserves such a hørribIe dęąth. We never got to meet Rose, only chatting on Facebook due to endless busy schedules only to see you, at the most disgusting sight at Sage Hospital, hoping for your recovery, but dęąțĥ stole you Justice shall prevail, including if you would be exhumed.”

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has filed an additional proof of evidence against Godwin Emefiele, the former governor of Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

Emefiele and his co-defendant, Henry Omoile, are facing trial on a 26-count charge before a Lagos high court.

The former CBN governor and Omoile pleaded not guilty to all the charges.

The commission had presented two witnesses to testify against Emefiele in the trial.

At the resumed hearing on Friday, Olalekan Ojo, counsel to Emefiele, was expected to continue the cross-examination of John Ikechukwu Ayoh, the second prosecution witness.

But Ojo told the court that he just received the additional proof of evidence from the EFCC which was filed on Thursday.

The counsel said he needed to study the additional proof of evidence to be able to cross-examine the prosecution witness.

He also accused Rotimi Oyedepo, EFCC counsel, of attempting to engage in “trial by ambush” at the expense of the defendants.

“My lord, there is a need to adjourn this case. We were just served these huge documents by the EFCC in court,” Ojo said.

“The prosecution keeps dumping documents on us at every sitting. This is trial by ambush.”

On his part, Adeyinka Kotoye, counsel to the second defendant, said he was served the additional proof of evidence five minutes after arriving in court.

Kotoye accused the EFCC of not being diligent in the prosecution of the case and attempting to ambush the defence team.

In response, the EFCC counsel said it is unfair to describe the service of processes by the prosecution as “ambush by trial”.

Oyedepo said the additional proof of evidence served by the commission was some of the documents retrieved from the phone of John Adetona, a former aide to Emefiele, who was listed as a witness.

Oyedepo said the documents were served in preparation of the testimony to be given by Adetona before the court.

He added that Adetona was not meant to appear before the court today or on May 9.

“The witness (Adetona) whose device the documents were printed from has not given evidence before the court,” Oyedepo said.

“In preparation for his testimony which is not coming up today or May 9, the prosecution rather waiting for the defense to formally place a demand for the hard copies, the prosecution team printed the documents out.

“How does that amount to prosecutorial unfairness?”

Oyedepo prayed that the court should order the defence team to complete the cross-examination of the second prosecution witness.

He added that the new documents do not affect the continuation of cross-examination of the witness.

However, Emefiele’s counsel disagreed, saying that he needs to study the new documents and that there might be new information to help the cross-examination.

In his ruling, Rahman Oshodi, the presiding judge, agreed with the defendants’ counsel and adjourned the matter to May 9.