The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has docked three former Access Bank Plc staffers, Ogbu Ibekwem, Nwagbara Chidimma and Uwaezuoke Raymond and Chidubem Mgbeke before Justice Mohammed Umar of a Federal High Court sitting in Enugu State.
They were arraigned on a four-count charge bordering on conspiracy and stealing to the tune of N15.944million.
One of the counts reads: “That you, Ogbu Ibekwe and Chidubem Mgbeke sometimes in January 2023 in Onitsha, Anambra State within the jurisdiction of this court did conspire among yourselves to commit felony to wit; retaining the sum of N7.996million meant for evacuation to the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN and property of Access Bank Plc Nottidge Branch, Onitsha, which you knew or ought to have known to be proceeds of an unlawful act and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 21 (a) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act 2022 and punishable under Section 20 (b).”
They pleaded “not guilty” when the charges were read to them.
In view of their pleas, counsel to the EFCC , Ahmad Abdullahi, prayed the court for a trial date and for the defendants to be remanded at Enugu prison.
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Defence counsel, O. Orji, however, informed the court of a bail application already placed before it.
Justice Umar thereafter adjourned the matter to May 22, 2024 for trial.
The defendants were remanded at the EFCC custody pending the hearing of bail application.
Ibekwem, Chidimma and Raymond were handed over to the EFCC on February 22, 2023, by Access Bank Plc for pilfering N15million, before it was evacuated to the bullion unit of the bank for subsequent movement to the CBN.
They were former staff of the Nottidge branch of the bank in Onitsha, Anambra State.
