FORMER Managing Director of Bank PHB (now Keystone Bank), Mr. Francis Atuche and two officials of the bank were Tuesday arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over allegations of forgery.
The two officials of Central Shared Services Centre of Keystone Bank Limited arraigned with Atuche before Justice Adeniyi Onigbanjo of an Ikeja High Court, Lagos, were Joachim Nnosiri and Uguru Onyike.
The defendants were arraigned on a nine-count charge of forgery, conspiracy and use of forged board resolutions belonging to Futureview Securities Ltd., Tradjeck Ltd. and Extra Oil Ltd.
EFCC in the charge claimed the alleged offence was committed on March 4, 2013 and contravened Sections 361 and 409 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State 2011.
According to the anti-graft agency, the board’s resolutions were allegedly signed by the Managing Director of the companies, Mrs. Elizabeth Ebi and addressed to Key Stone Bank.
The purpose of the board’s resolutions, EFCC said, was to request a N10.9 billion credit facility from the bank.
All the defendants, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge and Justice Onigbanjo asked the defendants to come from home for arguments on their bail applications.
While Atuche was to come back today, the other defendants are to come back on March 28 to enable the prosecution react to the bail summons.
This is the third in the series of charges brought against Atuche by the EFCC since his removal as the bank’s chief executive officer.
While one of the charges is pending before Justice Ofili Ajumogobia of the Federal High Court, Lagos, two others were before Justices Laatefat Okunnu and Onigbanjo of the Ikeja High Court.
The new arraignment came after the prosecution had concluded its case in the charge before Okunnu, while the defence is to file a no-case submission against the charge.
One of the critical issues raised by the defence at the N25.7 billion fraud trial before Okunnu was the existence of board resolutions of some companies in which the companies had solicited for a N10.9 billion credit facility from the bank.
But the prosecution witness, who was fingered on the said resolution, Mrs. Ebi, denied signing the board resolutions.
Ebi, who was recalled by the court for further cross-examination on the existence of the board resolution, also denied knowing the owners of the affected companies.
In her testimony, the witness stated that the alleged board resolutions already admitted as exhibits by the court, did not follow the normal resolution process.
But the defence had informed the court that the loans were solicited by Ebi on behalf of the companies and that the board resolutions were signed by her on behalf of the companies.
The witness, however, denied signing the board resolutions and the court was yet to make any decision on the authenticity of the resolutions before the present situation.
Atuche’s counsel, Tayo Oyetibo (SAN), however, urged the court for an accelerated hearing since the charge was an offshoot of the documents pending before Justice Okunnu.
His submission was supported by the other defendants represented by Clement Onwuenwunor, Bamidele Adewunmi and Nwadiogo Okoromaduka.
The court has adjourned till October 10 for trial.