A banker, Victor Joseph and one Ahmad Muhhammad Aliyu have been docked for allegedly fraudulently transferring the sum of N110 million from the National Assembly office account between March 27 and April 11 2023, using fictitious transfer instructions.
Joseph and Aliyu were arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC on money laundering charges to the tune of N110m on Monday, February 12.
They were arraigned on five-count charges bordering on money laundering before Justice N.E. Maha of the Federal High Court Maitama Abuja.
According to charges filed in court, the two defendants forged instructions and submitted them at the UBA National Assembly Business office, Abuja Branch, for processing and the funds were transferred to various beneficiaries in three banks.
The money was traced from the three banks to several other beneficiaries who later returned the funds to Joseph that initiated the transactions.
Upon reading their charges to them, both defendants pleaded not guilty, prompting Prosecution counsel, Joshua Saidi to pray for a trial date. Counsels to the first and second defendants, Gbenga Ashowole and Nelem Orji informed the court of applications for bail for their clients.
Justice Maha thereafter remanded the defendants at the Kuje Correctional Centre and adjourned the matter till February 27, 2024 for hearing of bail applications.
Count two of the charge reads ‘that you Victor Joseph being a former staff of the United Bank for Africa, Ahmad Muhammad Aliyu and another now at large, between March and April 2023 in Abuja within the Judicial Division of this Honourable Court, did indirectly take control of an aggregate sum of N110,000,000.00 (One Hundred and Ten Million Naira) which you knew or reasonably ought to know represents proceed of unlawful act to wit; obtaining money by false pretense and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 18 (2)(d) of the Money Laundering Prohibition Act, 2002 and punishable under Section 18 (3) of the same Act.
Source: PM News
