Keystone Bank Staff Tampers With ATM, Steals N3m

By Modupe Gbadeyanka

An employee of Keystone Bank named Mrs Chinonye Okafoagu has been arraigned by the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department (SCIID) in Panti-Yaba, Lagos.

The suspect was charged on Monday on a four-count charge of conspiracy, stealing, forgery and false modification of ATM data.

Mrs Okafoagu, 33, was brought before Chief Magistrate A. O. Salawu of an Ebute-Meta Chief Magistrates’ Court.

The accused was alleged to have stolen N3 million from an Automated Teller Machine (ATM) after tampering with it.

It was said that the bank employee allegedly, without lawful authority, modified the ATM’s data and stopped the machine from dispensing money to customers “in a bid to steal the N3 million.”

The police, in a charge marked, N/73/2017, alleged that the banker and others now at large, committed the offence on March 7, 2016, at the FESTAC branch of Keystone Bank.

Police said the Keystone Bank staff misrepresented herself as, Elizabeth, the woman authorised to handle the bank’s ATM on the said date, and appended her signature in the ATM loading staff register, which she presented to the bank’s management.

The alleged offences contravene and are punishable under sections 409, 285(7), 389(1), and 365(1) of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State, 2015.

However, Mrs Okafoagu pleaded not guilty.

Chief Magistrate Salawu later granted her bail in the tune of N500,000 with two sureties in the like sum and adjourned the matter till September 25, 2017.