Justice T. B. Adegoke of the Federal High Court sitting in Asaba, Delta State on November 30, 2020 sentenced Mr Onus Osagie Amahian, a former staff of Access Bank, to five years imprisonment for fraud.
Mr Amahian was prosecuted by the Benin Zonal Office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on a 25-count charge bordering on forgery and making false entries into the Delta State Government payroll in breach of ethical protocols.
Recall that The New Diplomat had previously reported how Mr Amahian, a former IT officer of Access Bank was said to have between August and October 2011 fraudulently imputed various names and account numbers of his family members and friends into the payroll schedule of Delta State government do0miciled in Access bank.
According to the EFCC, the defendant subsequently paid monies into those Accounts and withdrew same and in the process defrauded the Bank of a sum estimated at about Nine Million, Three Hundred and Forty-Four Thousand, Nineteen Naira and Twenty Three Kobo (N 9, 344,019.23).
Recall also that Mr Amahian was first arraigned in 2011 and pleaded ‘not guilty’ to the 25-count charges preferred against him by the EFCC, setting the stage for full trial .However, on November 19, 2020 he changed his plea from ‘not guilty’ to ‘guilty’ . This prompted the prosecuting counsel, F.O. Dibang to ask the court to convict and sentence him accordingly. Justice Adegoke convicted him on all counts but reserved sentencing till today.
A statement issued by EFCC spokesperson, Mr Wilson Uwujaren said Justice Adegoke in his judgment took into consideration “ the fact that substantial amount of money was recovered from the defendant during investigation and had been in Nigerian Correctional Centre since 2011 and shown remorse for his actions. “
According to the EFCC, the judge therefore sentenced the defendant to 5years imprisonment on each of the counts. The sentences shall run concurrently and shall commence from the date of arrest.
The statement reads: “One the the counts reads: “that you Onus Osagie Amahian between the month of August and October 2011 at Access Bank Branch Asaba within the jurisdiction of this honourable court did steal the sum of Nine Million Three Hundred and Forty Four Thousand, Thirteen Naira Twenty Three Kono (N9,344,013.23) only from Delta State Government payroll (NEFT/ DTSG/.TCO/ ACC ) in Access Bank PLC branch Asaba and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 390(6) of the criminal Act CAp C38 of the Revised Edition ( Laws of the Federation of Nigeria) 2007”.
