EFCC arraigns Polaris Bank staff for allegedly forging customer’s cheque, stealing N22.3m

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arraigned a banker with Polaris Bank, Babatunde Keshinro for allegedly forging a customer’s cheque and stealing the sum of N22.3m.

Keshinro was arraigned on Monday before the Lagos State Special Offences Court in Ikeja on nine counts bordering on stealing, forgery and fraudulent accounting.

Keshinro was alleged to have forged a Polaris Bank cheque No. 47423262 dated August 16, 2018, in the sum of N340,000 purportedly signed by one Alhaji Kola Oseni.

The prosecution counsel, Bilikisu Buhari, had told the court that Keshinro was the account manager of Oseni and his company, Baritos Nigeria Limited.

She also alleged that on December 14, 2016, he allegedly made a debit entry of N10m supposedly on the instructions of Baristos Nigeria Limited in favour of Hillcrest Solicitors, adding that the offences contravened sections 287, 365, 337 and 411 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State of Nigeria, No. 11, 2015.

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The defendant however pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Buhari, based on Keshinro’s plea asked the court to remand him in a correctional facility and asked for a trial date.

The defence counsel, S. Ehizoge, informed the court of a pending bail application dated February 10, 2020, and urged the court to grant his client bail on the most liberal terms.

The presiding judge, Justice Oluwatoyin Taiwo, admitted the defendant to bail in the sum of N5m with two sureties. She also ordered that one of the sureties must be a level-14 officer and the other a close relation, who must also provide proof of a ownership of landed property and evidence of tax payment to the Lagos State Government in the last three years.

She adjourned the matter till April 8, 2020, for trial.

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