Tunde Bakare
The Lagos Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Monday, December 16, 2024, re-arraigned a former Managing Director of the defunct Bank PHB Plc, Francis Atuche, on a nine-count charge bordering on conspiracy to commit felony and forgery before Justice O. O. Abike-Fadipe of the Special Offences Court sitting in Ikeja, Lagos.
Atuche alongside Nnosiri Joachim, a.k.a Ifeanyi, and Uguru Onyike had first been arraigned before Justice Habeeb Abiru, who has now been upgraded as a Judge of the Court of Appeal.
The case consequently started de novo before Justice Adeniyi Onigbanjo, who has now been transferred to another division of the Lagos High Court.
One of the counts reads: “That you, Mr. Francis Atuche, Nnosiri Joachim (a.k.a Ifeanyi) and Uguru Onyike, on or about 4th day of March, 2013, in Lagos, with the Ikeja Judicial Division, with intent to defraud conspired to commit felony to wit: forgery of a document titled: “BOARD RESOLUTION” of Future View Securities Limited dated 17th December, 2007.”
Another count reads: “ Nnosiri Joachim (a.k.a Ifeanyi), on or about 4th day of March, 2013 in Lagos, within the Ikeja Judicial Division, with intent to defraud, knowingly and fraudulently used a false document titled “Board Resolution of Trajek Nigeria Limited” dated 15th December 2007, which you purported to have been duly signed by one Elizabeth Ebi (a Director of Trajek Nigeria Limited) to Keystone Bank Limited as genuine.”
The defendants pleaded “not guilty” to the charges when they were read to them.
In view of this, the prosecution counsel, Fanen Anum, told the court that the matter was starting de novo and also prayed the court for a trial date.
Counsel to the first defendant, Anthony Ejere, however, prayed the court to allow his client, who has been convicted over another matter, to continue to enjoin the earlier bail granted him by the court.
Also, counsel to second and third defendants, Clement Onwuenwunor, SAN, prayed the court to allow his clients to continue to enjoy the earlier bail granted them by Justice Adeniyi Onigbanjo.
In a short ruling, Justice Fadipe upheld the prayers of the defence counsel that the defendants be allowed to continue on the bail granted them by Justice Adeniyi Onigbanjo.
The Judge adjourned the case till May 6, 7, 8, 13, 20 and 27, 2025 for commencement of trial.
Atuche’s fresh issues with the EFCC started when he recently contacted Nnosiri, an Office Assistant with Keystone Bank’s Central Sharing Services Centre in Lagos, to deliver some alleged forged documents to the Bank’s corporate headquarters in Lagos for onward presentation in court as exhibits in an on-going case between him and the Commission before Justice Lateefat Okunnu.
The forged documents that had been missing since October 2009 are the Board’s resolutions of Future View Securities Limited, Extra Oil Limited and Trajek Nigeria Limited.