EFCC Arraigns Couple for Allegedly Stealing N2.7m from Sterling Bank

Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) Ibadan zonal office, has arraigned Akinwole Dosunmu, an ex-banker, alongside Motunrayo, his wife, before an Oyo State High Court sitting in Ibadan for the alleged theft of N2,740,300.92 from Sterling Bank Plc.

Akinwole, a staff member of the bank, and his wife, a customer and beneficiary in the bank’s third party acquirer scheme, were arraigned recently.

The bank’s third party scheme is a marketing strategy through which relatives and friends of the marketing agents are awarded commission for bringing new customers to open and operate new accounts with the bank.

According to the bank, Akinwole, a marketer, was appointed to coordinate the third party scheme.

The bank said, “Apart from the commission on account opening, the referral also enjoys a certain percentage on the saving made through the accounts every month.”

However, while reviewing activities under the scheme in 2016, the bank allegedly discovered that some of the accounts appropriated to Motunrayo as a third-party acquirer, were fraudulently tagged to her by her husband.

Investigation revealed that the accounts were not sourced by the couple, but by other third-party agents.

According to the petition filed by the bank, the couple dubiously benefited N2, 740,300.9292 as commission paid to Motunrayo through the scheme.

The couple were arraigned on 16 counts bordering on stealing, contrary to Section 390 (9) of the Criminal Code Laws Cap. 38, Laws of Oyo State, 2000.

Count one of the charge read, “That you, Akinwole Dosunmu and Motunrayo Dosunmu, between July 2015 and April 2016 in Ibadan, within the jurisdiction of this court, did commit an illegal act, to wit, stealing of the aggregate sum of N1,280,554.38 property of Sterling Bank Plc under the guise that the account of one Odediran Oluwafemi and An Nee (a corporate account) were generated by Motunrayo Olanike Dosunmu, thereby, committing an offence.”

The defendants, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges preferred against them.

Counsel for the EFCC, Ifeanyi Agwu, applied for a date for trial.

However, the defence counsel, J. B. Olaoye, informed the court that he had filed applications for bail on behalf of the accused persons.

Justice Ladiran Akintola adjourned the case till Friday, February 21 for hearing of the bail applications.