N266m fraud: How alleged fake army general changed account name – witness

A Compliance Officer with First Bank of Nigeria Plc., Mr Chris Ekpe, on Wednesday narrated how an alleged fake army general, Bolarinwa Oluwasegun, changed his bank account name to perpetrate a N266m fraud.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Ekpe testified before an Ikeja Special Offences Court.

He was led in evidence by counsel to Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mr Rotimi Oyedepo.

The witness testified that First Bank received a notary publication dated Dec. 20, 2016, with a letter of change of account name from the defendant on Feb. 2, 2017.

“The defendant’s name was Hassan Kareem Ayinde.

“The bank changed his name from Hassan Kareem Ayinde to Olusegun Abiodun Bolarinwa, upon receiving the change of name documents,” he said.

The witness told the court that the balance in the defendant’s bank account at the time of the change of account name was N 1.3 million.

The compliance officer further testified that huge sums then started coming into the defendant’s account.

According to him, the sums were mainly sent from the complainant’s account.

He added that the sums were utilised on boutiques and other personal needs, adding that there were cash withdrawals through Automated Teller Machines.

The EFCC counsel tendered before the court a letter of request sent to the bank, a certificate of compliance and identification, the bank’s response letter, and the defendant’s bank account records.

The documents were admitted in evidence as exhibits, following absence of opposition from defence counsel.

NAN reports that defence counsel, Mr Kayode Lawal, did not cross-examine the witness.

Lawal said that there was no ambiguity in the testimony of the witness, adding that it was based on documents.

Oyedepo thereafter led in evidence, the third prosecution witness, a United Bank of Africa Relationship Manager, Mr Emmanuel Emaikwo, who told the court that there were transactions between the defendant and the complainant.

Emaikwo also tendered documents to support his oral testimony.

Oyedepo then sought an adjournment to enable EFCC to bring the investigating officer and a representative of the Nigeria Army to give testimonies before the court.

Justice Oluwatoyin Taiwo adjourned the case until May 6 for continuation of trial.

NAN reports that the defendant pleaded not guilty to a 13-count charge bordering on obtaining money under false pretences, forgery of documents and possession of documents containing false pretences.

The EFCC alleged that the defendant impersonated an army general and defrauded two companies of N266 million in 2020.

The commission also alleged that the defendant forged a Nigerian Army identity card with serial number 387140.

It added that the defendant possessed a forged certificate of confirmation of appointment dated Nov. 7, 2018, purporting same to have emanated from the Nigerian Army Headquarters.

The EFCC said that the alleged offences contravened the provisions of Sections 1(3) and 6 of Advanced Fee Fraud and other Related Offences, 2006, and Section 363 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.