Ex- Sterling Bank manager bags 8yrs imprisonment for fraud
[From CHINEDU NWAFOR, Abakaliki]
State High Court sitting in Enugu has convicted and sentenced a former Branch manager of Sterling Bank Plc, Enugu, Anidiobi Oliver Chukwuka, to eight years Imprisonment for stealing the sum of N219 million depositors’ funds.
In a suit No E/162C/2019, the Court found the Chukwuka guilty of stealing and converting to personal use the said amount which Ohha Microfinance Bank Limited Enugu, kept in a fixed Deposit account with Sterling Bank.
It was gathered that Mr. Anidiobi, committed the offence between 15th August, 2014, to 16th November, 2017.
Recall that Ohha Microfinance bank Limited had petitioned Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on January 2018 accusing the Chukwuka of diverting the said sum of money for personal us.
Following the petition, the Enugu Zonal office of the Anti-graft agency, swung into action, investigated and arrested Mr Chukwuka and arraigned him before Justice C. Ajah, of Enugu State High Court, on the 7th day of May 2019, on a 32 Count charge of stealing by conversion, obtaining by false pretence and forgery filed by the EFCC prosecuting Counsel, Barrister Michael Ani.
In his ruling, the presiding Judge, Justice Cyprian Ajah, convicted Chukwuka, of all the 32 counts charge and sentenced him to 4 years each for Counts 1-14.
He was further sentenced to 4 years each for Counts 15 to 28 which borders on obtaining by false pretence, just as he was sentenced to 8 years for Counts 29 to 32, which borders on forgery.
The sentences are to run concurrently, according to the ruling.
