Court remands female banker, two others in prison over alleged N135m theft

An Ikeja High Court on Tuesday remanded a 28-year-old female banker, Tejumola Okemakinde, and two others in prison custody, over an alleged N135 million theft.

Justice Olutoyin Ipaye ordered the remand of Okemakinde and her alleged accomplices, Ige Egbeyemi, 50 and Olukayode Adeoye, 32, in prison, after their arraignment.

They are to remain in prison pending the hearing of the bail applications fixed for Nov. 11.
Okemakinde lives at No. 26, Animasaun St., Ijeshatedo, Lagos; Egbeyemi is of Plot 3, Block 4, Flat 2, Iba Housing Estate, Lagos, while Adeoye, lives at No. 30, Felicia Kokosho St., Opebi, Lagos.

The defendants and their companies— Povyte Ventures Ltd., Whales and Chase Ltd. and Tenumola Onike Enterprise Ltd.; were charged to court by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC)

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that they are facing a 34-count charge bordering on conspiracy, stealing, forgery, uttering and use of false documents.

The EFCC counsel, Mrs Fadeke Giwa, alleged that they had committed the offences between May and September 2011 at Apapa, Lagos.

Giwa said they had conspired with one Irene Egbeyemi (now at large) to steal the money belonging to LilyPond Containers Ltd.

She accused them of forging various documents and bank cheques to facilitate the theft.

According to her, the monies were deposited in the defendants’ accounts domiciled with Guaranty Trust Bank, First Bank of Nigeria Plc and Stanbic IBTC.

Giwa said their alleged offences contravened Sections 275, 285, 363, 364 and 401 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.

NAN reports that the offence of stealing attracts between a minimum of seven years imprisonment, if the defendants are found guilty.

They, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge. (NAN)