Fleeing Banker Arrested Over N30m Fraud

PAUL IYIGHOJIE

A former staff of Lagos branch of a multinational bank, Kayode Ayodele, 34, who the police said have been on the run since last year over alleged N30 million fraud has been arrested in Ogun State, Nigeria.

Police alleged that the suspect connived with two other former staff of the bank, Tiaminu Lukman, 48 and Shaga Olu Sheriff, 34 now facing trial for the same offense to hack into the account of their employer and withdrew the sum of N30 million and share it.

The incident, according to the police, occurred between August 2013 and June 2015 during working hours.

The bank management uncovered the fraud when they audited the account book and reported the matter to the DPO in charge of Ikoyi division, Lagos, SP Tijani Mustapha, who directed the team led by Sgt. Tope Ijatuyi to track and arrest the suspect.

While Tiaminu and Shaga were arrested last year and charged to court, Ayodele reportedly went into hiding. He was however tracked and arrested in January, 2017 at Ijoko area of Ogun State and brought to Lagos.

After investigation, Ayodele was charged before an Igbosere magistrate court, Lagos on a two count charge of stealing the sum of N30 million property of the bank (name withheld).

Police prosecutor, Inspector Jimoh Joseph, informed the court in charge No. A/01/2017 that Kayode Ayodele, Tiaminu Lukman and Shaga Olu Sheriff were staff of the bank (name withheld) when they fraudulently withdrew the N30 million from their employers account and shared it without authority.

He said the offenses Kayode Ayodele committed were punishable under sections 409 and 303 of the criminal laws of Lagos State, 2011.

Ayodele pleaded not guilty to the alleged crime in the open court and chief magistrate Miss A. O. Awogboro admitted him on bail in the sum of N5 million with two sureties in like sum.

Awogboro adjourned the case to 20 January, 2017 for mention while Ayodele was taken to Ikoyi prison pending when he will be able to perfect his bail condition.