Dipo Olowookere
By Dipo Olowookere
Monday, December 17, 2018 has been fixed for the arraignmentof an executive director at First Bank, Mr Dauda Lawal.
Also to be arraigned is the ManagingDirector of Fidelity Bank, Mr Nnamdi Okonkwo.
The duo are expected to be dragged before Justice MuslimHassan of a Federal High Court sitting in Lagos for allegedly assisting formerMinister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs Diezani Alison-Madueke, conceal $153million in 2015.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), which is taking the accused persons to court, has levelled a 14-count charge of conspiracy and money laundering against them.
The anti-graft agency said Messrs Okonkwo and Stanley Lawson, Mrs Alison-Madueke, and Ben Otti, a former group executive director (finance and account) at the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) conspired among themselves to conceal $153.3 million in Fidelity Bank.
The Fidelity Bank boss was accused of failing to report a suspicious transaction amounting to $80 million to the EFCC while in count 14, Mr Lawal was charged with refraining to report a $65 million suspicious transaction to the commission.
The defendants are also accused of using $25 million to acquire a property known as Ogeyi Place Hotel situated at GRA Phase 2, Port Harcourt, in 2015. They are further accused of transferring $65 million to Mr Lawal and procured one Adewale Fayemi to take possession of $8.3 million and $80 million without going through a financial institution.
