Kemisola Oye
THE former Managing Director of the defunct Bank PHB (now Keystone Bank Plc), Francis Atuche and two others, Nnosiri Joachim (a.k.a. Ifeanyi) and Uguru Onyike were today re-arraigned before Justice Olubunmi Abike-Fadipe of a Lagos Special Offences Court sitting in Ikeja.
The defendants were re-arraigned on a nine-count charge brought against them by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
The defendants were alleged of conspiracy to commit felony and forgery.
Atuche and two other suspects were initially arraigned before Justice Habeeb Abiru before the judge was elevated to the Court of Appeal.
The defendants’ trial, therefore, started de novo (afresh) before Justice Adeniyi Onigbanjo who retired and the case was reassigned to Justice Abike-Fadipe of the same High Court division
However, when the case was called today, the charge was read to the defendants and they pleaded not guilty.
The prosecution counsel, Mr. Fanen Anum, told the court that the matter was starting de novo and prayed the court for a trial date.
The counsel to the first defendant, Mr Anthony Ejere, prayed the court to allow his client to enjoin the earlier bail granted him by the court, despite that he is still a convict in another matter.
Also, counsel to the second and third defendants, Mr Clement Onwuenwunor (SAN), prayed the court to allow his clients to enjoy the earlier bail granted them by Justice Adeniyi Onigbanjo.
Justice Abike-Fadipe granted their prayers, allowed them to continue on the bail granted and subsequently adjourned the trial to 6, 7, 8, 13, 20 and 27 May 2025 for trial.
The EFCC alleged that Atuche contacted Joachim Nnosiri, an office assistant with Keystone Bank’s Central Sharing Services Centre in Lagos, to deliver some allegedly forged documents to the bank’s corporate headquarters also in Lagos for onward presentation in court as exhibits wherein he was standing trial before Justice Lateefa Okunnu of a Lagos High Court, Ikeja.
The forged documents are board resolutions of Future View Securities Limited; Extra Oil Limited and Trajek Nigeria Limited. The documents had been missing in the bank since October 2009.
One of the charges filed against the defendants read, “Mr Francis Atuche, Nnosiri Joachim (a.k.a Ifeanyi) and Uguru Onyike on or about 4 March 2013, in Lagos within the Ikeja Judicial Division, with intent to defraud, conspired to commit felony to wit: forgery of a document titled: “BOARD RESOLUTION” of Future View Securities Limited dated 17th December 2007.”
Nnosiri Joachim (a.k.a Ifeanyi) was alleged to have on or about 4 March 2013, with intent to defraud, knowingly and fraudulently used a false document titled Board Resolution of Trajek Nigeria Limited dated 15 December 2007 which he purported to have been duly signed by one Elizabeth Ebi (a Director of Trajek Nigeria Limited) to Keystone Bank Limited as genuine.
Eighteen-Eleven Media