Police has arraigned a banker with Keystone Bank Plc, Mrs. Chinonye Okafoagu, before a Chief Magistrate Court in Ebute-metta, Lagos for allegedly stealing the sum of N3 million from the bank’s Automated Teller Machine (ATM).
The banker is facing a four counts charge bordering on conspiracy, stealing, forgery and false modification of ATM’s data.
The accused was charged and arraigned before the court by the men of State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department (SCIID), Panti-Yaba, Lagos.
Police in the charge marked N/73/2017, alleged that the banker and others now at large, committed the offence in March 7, 2016, at the Festac Branch of the bank.
The police alleged that in order to steal the N3 million from the bank’s ATM machine, the banker without lawful authority modified the ATM’s data, and thereby making the machine not to dispense money to the bank’s customers.
The Offences according to the police are contrary to and punishable under sections 409, 285(7), 389(1), and 365(1) of the Criminal Laws of Lagos state of Nigeria, 2015.
The banker was also accused to have allegedly written the name of one Elizabeth, who supposed to handle the bank’s ATM machine on the said date, and equally append her signature in the ATM’s loading staff register, which she equally presented to the management of the bank.
However, after the charge was read to the accused banker, she pleaded not guilty to all the charges.
Consequently, the presiding Magistrate, Mrs. A. O. Salawu, admitted her to bail in the sum of N500,000 with two sureties in the same sum.
The Magistrate also ordered the sureties to furnish the court with evidence of three years tax paid to the Lagos state government, means of livelihood, and have their addresses verified by the court’s registrar.
The matter has been adjourned till September 25, for commencement of trial.
Chinyere Obia
