By Ola Ajayi, Ibadan
A former staff of a first generation bank, Oreoluwa Adesakin, has been sentenced to 98 years imprisonment by an Oyo State High Court for stealing millions of naira from her employer.
Justice Muniru Olagunju who delivered the judgment said the court found the woman guilty of financial fraud against her employers to the tune of N49,320,652.32, and additional $368,203 belonging to the bank which she converted to her personal use.
According to Wilson Uwujaren Head, Media & Publicity of the commission, the convict was prosecuted by the Ibadan Zonal Office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, (EFCC), on a 14-count charge, bordering on stealing, forgery and fraudulent accounting.
One of the charges against her read: “That you Oreoluwa Adesakin sometime between the months of May, 2013 and November, 2013, at Ibadan within the Ibadan Judicial Division, whilst being a staff of a bank stole the sum of N25,974,116.13 from your employer,(name of bank withheld)”
She pleaded not guilty to all the charges, which necessitated her trial. Prosecution counsel, Usman Murtala in arguing his case, presented all vital documents and witnesses which nailed the convict.
The judge noted that the EFCC amassed a pool of incontrovertible evidence against the convict and did a diligent investigation and prosecution.
He pronounced Adesakin guilty of all the charges, sentencing her to seven years in prison without an option of fine on each of the 14 counts, which will run concurrently.
Apart from the jail term, the convict is also to restitute to the Bank, through the EFCC, all the money she stole.
The convict was arraigned on April 4, 2014 by the EFCC following a conclusion of investigations against her which arose from a petition from her former employer, dated December 18, 2013.
The bank alleged in the petition that Adesakin, as its Money Transfer Operator, saddled with the responsibility of effecting payments through Western Union Money Transfer and Money Gram platforms, fraudulently manipulated accounting and withdrew the total sums of N49,320,652.32 and another $368,203.00 for herself, which the bank only uncovered while reviewing its internal account.
The EFCC was also able to establish that the convict used part of the proceeds of her crime to acquire landed properties in different parts of Oyo State.
