The Port Harcourt Zonal office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Wednesday, October 2, 2019 arraigned one Gladys Udia a Banker before Justice M. L Abubakar of the Federal High Court sitting in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, on a seven-count charge bordering on conspiracy, stealing, forgery and alteration to the tune of N3,476,700.00 (Three Million Four Hundred and Seventy Six Thousand, Seven Hundred Naira only)
One of the counts read: “That you Gladys Udia and Dominic Okon a.k.a Paul (now at large) between the 24th and 31st of July, 2019, at Port Harcourt, Rivers State within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, whilst you were staff of Union Bank Plc stole the sum of (N3,434,000,00) Three Million, Four Hundred and Thirty Four Thousand Naira only, property of one Benjamin Akerele and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 390 of the Criminal Code Act, Cap. C 38 of the Revised Edition (Laws of the Federation of Nigeria) 2007 read together with Section 1 (1) (b) of the Failed Banks (Recovery of Debts) and Financial Malpractices in Banks Act, Cap B3 of the Revised Edition (Laws of the Federation of Nigeria)2007”.
According to the statement released by the anti-graft agency, Udia’s trouble started when a petitioner, Benjamin Akerele, a customer of Union Bank, Port Harcourt, sought the intervention of the EFCC over the theft of his money in the bank. .
The petitioner alleged that sometimes between July 24 and August 6, 2019, a total sum of N3,476,700.00(Three Million, Four Hundred and Seventy Six Thousand, Seven Hundred Naira only) was fraudulently withdrawn from his account domiciled in a Union Bank’s Sokoto branch.