A Federal High Court in Lagos has ordered the branch head of Providus Bank Plc, Mariam Isoje, to appear before it to take her plea on alleged N144 million fraud.
Justice Yellim Bogoro made the order on Monday following an application by a prosecutor, Mr. Henry Obiaze, to the court that the Providus Bank Plc’s manager, Mariam, has been flagrantly refusing to appear before the court to take her plea, since the charge was filed against her.
Mariam Isoje is being charged before the court alongside a Bureau De Change (BDC) Operator, Ibrahim Butali Abdulmumin, on a four-count of conspiracy, obtaining by false pretence, concealing proceeds of an unlawful activities and fraud of N144 million.
Both Mariam and Ibrahim were charged before the court by Police Special Fraud Unit (PSFU), Ikoyi, Lagos.
Police in the charge marked FHC/L/221c/2022, both Mariam and Ibrahim were alleged to have conspired and fraudulently obtained the sum of N144 million from their victims, under the pretext of exchanging the money to $250,000 USD, at N570, 00.
The Providus Bank Plc manager, Mariam, was particularly accused of concealing the proceeds of an unlawful activities to the tune of tN60, 480 million derived directly from BDC operator, Ibrahim.
The offences, the prosecutor told the court, contravened sections 8 (a) and 1(1) (3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006, and punishable under the same Act.
The prosecutor had also told the court that the offences are contrary to and punishable under sections 18 (2)(b) and 20 (a)(b)of the Money (Prohibition) Act, 2022.
While the BDC operator had taken his plea on the charges, the bank manager refused to appear in court.
However, at the resumed hearing of the case on Monday, the prosecutor, Mr. Obiaze, informed the court that the banker, who is the second defendant in the charge, failed to appear in court to take her plea.
The prosecutor consequently urged the court to issue bench warrant against her.
But lawyer to the banker, Onyekachi Asogwa, while citing an Appeal Court decision, told the court not to grant the prosecutor’s request, as his client had filed an application challenging the competence of the charge.
But the prosecutor countered his submission by citing a section of Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) 2015, which compels a defendant to take plea before any application can be heard.
Upon taken submissions from parties, Justice Bogoro ruled that “the second defendant should submit herself to the jurisdiction of this court and take her plea on charges against her.
“If she failed, the court will issue a bench warrant against her.”
The judge consequently adjourned to February 16, 2023, for the banker’s arraignment.