EFCC arraigns Wema bank workers, accomplices for alleged N8.5bn fraud

Three employees of Wema Bank, alongside four alleged accomplices, have been arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) before Justice Daniel Osiagor of the Federal High Court in Ikoyi, Lagos, over an alleged N8.5 billion fraud.

The defendants—Samuel Asiegbu, Fabian Onyeimachi, and Kingsley Kejim, all staff members of Wema Bank—were charged alongside Hannah Okunlola Adesokan, Hamza Zakariya, Achionu Ubaku, and Sunday Osademe. They face an eight-count charge that includes conspiracy and obtaining money by false pretences.

In a statement released Monday by Dele Oyewale, the EFCC’s Head of Media and Publicity, it was revealed that the defendants are accused of conspiring to manipulate and alter bank data belonging to Wema Bank in January 2025, causing a financial loss of N8,568,090,500.

Oyewale stated, “The defendants committed an offence contrary to Section 27(1)(a) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act, 2015 and punishable under the same Act.”

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One of the charges reads, “That you, Samuel Ihechukwu Asiegbu, Ejim Kingsley Kelechi and other persons at large, sometime in January 2025, conspired amongst yourselves to cause loss of property to bank accounts domiciled in Wema Bank Nigeria Plc. in order to confer economic benefit to yourselves, and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 27(1)(a) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act, 2015.”

Another count states: “That you Samuel Ihechukwu Asiegbu and other persons at large, sometime in January 2025, within the jurisdiction of this honourable court knowingly and without authority caused the loss of an aggregate sum of N8,568,090,500 property of Wema Bank Plc. by altering, erasing and inputting data held in accounts domiciled in Wema Bank Plc. computer for the purpose of conferring economic benefit on yourself and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 14(1) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition Prevention, etc.) Act, 2015 and punishable under the same Act.”

According to Oyewale, all the defendants pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Following their plea, EFCC counsel Aso Peters requested a trial date and asked the court to remand the defendants in a Nigerian Correctional Facility. However, the defence counsel for Hannah Okunlola appealed to have her remanded in EFCC custody, citing her health condition.

Oyewale confirmed that Justice Osiagor adjourned the case to June 6, 2025, for trial. “Justice Osiagor adjourned the matter to June 6, 2025, for trial and remanded five of the defendants in the facility of the Nigerian Correctional Services, while Kingsley Ejim Kelechi was to continue on his existing bail. However, Hannah Okunlola was remanded in EFCC custody,” he stated.

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