Justice S. N. Odili of the Anambra State High Court in Onitsha, Anambra State, has convicted and sentenced a former manager with First City Monument Bank (FCMB), Onitsha Branch, Nwachukwu Placidus, to a cumulative 121 years imprisonment for diverting fixed deposit funds of a customer to the tune of N112million for his personal use.
Placidus was arraigned on Tuesday, March 27, 2018 on 16-count charge of forgery, stealing, obtaining by false pretence and uttering, by the Enugu Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
One of the counts reads: “Nwachukwu Placidus between February 2009 and November 2014 in Onitsha, Anambra State within the jurisdiction of the Anambra State High Court of Nigeria with intent to defraud obtained the sum of (N112,100,000) One Hundred and Twelve Million, One Hundred Thousand Naira only, from Idemili Microfinance Bank under the false pretence that you have placed the said money in a fixed deposit account with First City Monument Bank PLC for it, which pretence you knew to be false and you thereby committed an offence”.
When the charge was read to Placidus, he pleaded not guilty to the offence, thus setting the stage for his trial.
In the course of trial, the prosecuting EFCC lawyer, Mainforce Adaka Ekwu, presented four witnesses and tendered several relevant documents which were admitted in evidence.
Delivering his judgment in the matter, Justice Odili held that “the prosecution proved its case beyond reasonable doubt” and sentenced the convict to nine years imprisonment on count 3, 4 years on count 4 and 9 years on counts 5 to 16 respectively. The judge however discharged Placidus on counts 1 and 2, saying that the sentences shall run concurrently.
The court further ordered the convict to restitute the said sum to his victim, Idemili Microfinance Bank.
Placidus ’journey to the Correctional Centre began when a petitioner , Idemili Microfinance Bank Ltd, alleged that the sum of N112, 100, 000 was handed over to him as the branch manager of FCMB in Onitsha, for fixed deposit. However, when the petitioner approached the bank to terminate and withdraw the deposit, the bank denied receiving the said funds.
Upon receipt of the petition, the EFCC swung into action and investigations revealed that the convict diverted the money for his own use and issued a fake fixed Deposit Certificate to the petitioner.
