EFCC Arraigns Former Banker Over N25m Alleged Scam

SAN FRANCISCO, February 18, (THEWILL) – The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) Wednesday said it has arraigned a former banker with Fidelity Bank Plc, Friday Yahaya (alias Peter Arikhan), before Justice Lawal Akapo of the Lagos State High Court sitting in Ikeja, for stealing depositors' fund to the tune of N25, 350,000.00 (Twenty-Five Million, Three Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira only).  He was arraigned on a 16-count charge bordering on stealing; impersonation and forgery.

The agency said Yahaya, a former marketing staff of Fidelity Bank, Balogun Business Association branch, Trade Fair Complex, Lagos, allegedly defrauded nine customers of the bank through diversion of their deposits into his personal account with the bank. His worst-hit victim had the sum of N21, 710,000 (Twenty One Million Seven Hundred and Ten Thousand Naira) stolen from his account with the Bank.

One of the charges reads: “ Friday Yahaya (Peter Arikhan) sometime between the months of February and November 2013, at Lagos within the Ikeja Judicial Division, whilst being a staff of Fidelity Bank Plc stole the sum of N21, 710, 000 (Twenty One Million Seven Hundred and Ten Thousand Naira) from account number 6050729408 maintained by Ifeanyi Okoye, property of Fidelity Bank Plc”.

When the charges were read to him, he pleaded not guilty.

Justice Akapo adjourned the matter till March 11, 2015 for hearing of defence's bail application and ordered that the accused person be remanded in Ikoyi prison.