NIGERIA: EFCC Re-Arraigns Ex-Bank PHB MD, Two Others Over Forgery And Felony

By Munyal Manunyi

A former Managing Director of the defunct Bank PHB Plc, Francis Atuche, was on Monday, re-arraigned by the Lagos Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), on allegations pertaining to forgery and felony.

Aruche was re-arraigned before Justice O. O. Abike-Fadipe of the Special Offences Court sitting in Ikeja, Lagos, on a nine-count charge bordering on conspiracy to commit felony and forgery.

The ex- managing director was re-arraigned alongside Nnosiri Joachim, a.k.a Ifeanyi, and Uguru Onyike.

According to a statement issued by the EFCC spokesman, Dele Oyewale, Atuche’s fresh issues with Commission started when he recently contacted Nnosiri, an Office Assistant with Keystone Bank’s Central Sharing Services Centre in Lagos, to deliver some alleged forged documents to the Bank’s corporate headquarters in Lagos for onward presentation in court as exhibits in an ongoing case before Justice Lateefat Okunnu between him and the EFCC.

Oyewale noted that the forged documents that had been missing since October 2009 are the Board’s resolutions of Future View Securities Limited, Extra Oil Limited and Trajek Nigeria Limited.

Meanwhile, prior to this re-arraignment, the trio were first arraigned before Justice Habeeb Abiru, who has now been upgraded as a Judge of the Court of Appeal.

The case consequently started de novo before Justice Adeniyi Onigbanjo, who has now been transferred to another division of the Lagos High Court.

One of the counts reads: “That you, Mr. Francis Atuche, Nnosiri Joachim (a.k.a Ifeanyi) and Uguru Onyike, on or about 4th day of March, 2013, in Lagos, with 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.”

Another count reads: “ Nnosiri Joachim (a.k.a Ifeanyi), on or about 4th day of March, 2013 in Lagos, within the Ikeja Judicial Division, with intent to defraud, knowingly and fraudulently used a false document titled ‘Board Resolution of Trajek Nigeria Limited’ dated 15th December 2007, which you purported to have been duly signed by one Elizabeth Ebi (a Director of Trajek Nigeria Limited) to Keystone Bank Limited as genuine.”

However, the defendants pleaded “not guilty” to the charges read to them, and in view of this, the prosecution counsel, Fanen Anum, told the court that the matter was starting de novo and also prayed the court for a trial date.

On his part, counsel to the first defendant, Anthony Ejere, prayed the court to allow his client, who has been convicted over another matter, to continue to enjoy the earlier bail granted him by the court.

The counsel to second and third defendants, Clement Onwuenwunor, SAN, also prayed the court to allow his clients to continue to enjoy the earlier bail granted them by Justice Adeniyi Onigbanjo.

Justice Fadipe upheld the prayers of the defence counsels that the defendants be allowed to continue on the bail granted them by Justice Adeniyi Onigbanjo, and he adjourned the case till May 6, 7, 8, 13, 20 and 27, 2025 for commencement of trial.