Court revokes Ukandu’s bail for breach of conditions

Justice Olusola Williams of a Lagos Special Offences Court, Ikeja, has revoked the bail granted to banker, Chester Ukandu, who is standing trial on a three-count charge of forgery and impersonation.

Ukandu, the former managing director of Mainstreet Bank Registrars, is being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

The judge said the suspect breached the express conditions of bail granted him and acting in a manner capable of jeopardising the course of justice.

The anti-graft agency had arraigned the bank chief alongside one Mr. Achi George on March 19, 2018 for allegedly forging Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) documents.

EFCC prosecutor, Mrs. Zainab Ettu, had told the court that the suspects, between February 6 and 7, 2012, conspired and forged the letterhead of Mainstreet Bank Registrars Limited, claiming that it emanated officially from the organisation.

They were also accused of forging CAC’s Form 2A.

The prosecution told the court that the suspects had retired from the company before the crimes were committed.

They were apprehended after investigation in a petition written by the company’s lawyer, Dr. Charles Mekwunye.

Following their ‘not guilty’ plea, their counsel, Samuel Agu, told the court that he had filed bail applications and urged the court to grant his clients bail in the most liberal terms.

They were subsequently granted bail but remanded, pending the perfection of their bail conditions.

However, the EFCC, by a motion on notice dated January 15, 2019, complained to the court that Ukandu had breached some of the bail conditions by acting in a manner capable of jeopardising the course of justice in the case.

The prosecution counsel, Anselm Ozioko, prayed the court to revoke Ukandu’s bail. He told the court that instead of being sober and face the charge of forgery against him, the first defendant continued to engage in braggadocio contrary to his bail conditions.