Three men on Wednesday, appeared in a Wuse Zone 6 Magistrates’ Court for allegedly defrauding some First Bank customers of N8. 56 million through mobile transfers.
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The police charged Abubakar Ismail, 24; Abubakar Abdullahi, 23 and Ibrahim Alhassan, 27 labourer,with criminal conspiracy, theft and cheating.
The Prosecution Counsel, E.O Ossai, told the court that Mr Charles Osakwe, staff of First Bank, Nyanya branch, Abuja, reported the matter at the Nyanya police station on July 28.
Ossai alleged that on July 28, the complainant’s office discovered that the three defendants and eight others, at large conspired and gave 25 other persons different phone numbers to open accounts with the bank.
He said that the defendants and others dishonestly and fraudulently withdrew N8. 56 million from the accounts.
He further alleged that the withdrawal made from the customers accounts was done through mobile transfer between March and August.
Ossai told the court that during investigation, it was discovered that the defendants converted the money to their personal use and could not give an explanation for their action.
The prosecutor said the offence contravened the provisions of sections 97, 287 and 322 of the Penal Code.
The defendants however, pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Magistrate Omolola Akindele, admitted the defendants to bail in the sum of N500, 000 each with two sureties each in like sum.
Akindele ordered that the sureties must be reliable and should live within the jurisdiction of the court.
She also ordered that the sureties deposit a recent passport photograph and a valid means of identification which must be verified by the court registrar.
The magistrate adjourned the matter until Oct. 12 for hearing.
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