Shopkeeper docked for attempting to withdraw money from customer’s account

A shopkeeper, Rose Duah, who attempted to withdraw N300,000 from a customer’s account was on Friday arraigned in an Oshodi Magistrates’ Court, Lagos, for fraud and theft.

Duah, 30, of no fixed address, was said to have committed the crime on April 22 at Skye Bank, International Airport Road, Oshodi, Lagos.

The prosecutor, Cpl. Kehinde Olatunde, told the court that the accused attempted to withdraw N300,000 from the account of another customer of Skye Bank.

“The accused applied for the termination of her N500, 000 fixed deposit in her account and ordered same to be paid into her savings account; after which she applied for a withdrawal of N300,000,’’ Olatunde said.

“The bank carried out a brief investigation into the account and discovered at the point of payment that the image on the system was not the same with that of the accused.

“When she was asked when and where she opened the account, she could not say when; but only insisted that she opened it in Lagos.

According to him, “It was later discovered at the bank that the account was opened in Sokoto State by one Nnamdi.

“The accused was arrested after the bank noticed that the account does not belong to her.

The prosecutor said that the accused was also found in possession of two voter cards which she claimed belonged to her though with different names and same photograph.

The offences, Olatunde said, contravened Sections 285 and 312 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State, 2011.

Section 312 prescribes a 15- year jail term as penalty for offenders.

The accused pleaded innocence of the offences and was granted bail in the sum of N100, 000 with one surety in like sum.

The Magistrate, Mr Akeem Fashola, adjourned the case till May 25 for further hearing.