Former banker bags six years in prison for impersonation

A former employee of Fidelity Bank Plc, Ihionu Chibuike on Thursday bagged six years imprisonment after he was found guilty of impersonation and also obtaining money by false pretence.

Justice Lateef Lawal Akapo sentenced him to jail following his guilty plea to the amended four count charge of stealing,obtaining money by false pretence,forgery and impersonation brought against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
The convict was said to have opened a savings account number 6052039264 in the name of Chimezie Ifekwe with relevant document as instructed by the bank.

The victim believing that the account had been purportedly opened for him in Fidelity bank transferred N20million.
The convict identified himself as Chimezezie Ifekwe with international passport number Ao4668721 allegedly issued on 16 April, 2013.

Part of the charge reads: “Ihionu chibuike sometime in February, 2013 within the Ikeja judicial division, stole and fraudulently converted to your own personal use the sum of N4.8 million, property of Mrs Chibuzo Nwakwu.

“Ihionu Chibuike sometimes in the month of February, 2013 at Ikeja, within the Ikeja Judicial Division stole and fraudulently converted to own personal use the sum of N200.000.00 (Two Hundred Thousand Naira) property of Chimezie Ifekwe.

“Ihionu Chibuike, sometime in February, 2013 within the Ikeja Judicial Division and in order to facilitate the commission of the offence of stealing forged forged the account opening documents of Fidelity Bank Plc purporting same to be that of Chimezie Ifekwe, the account holder.

“Ihionu Chibuike, sometime in February, 2013 within the Ikeja judicial division and in order to facilitate the commission of the offence of stealing forged instruction letter of Fidelity Bank Plc and gave same to Chimezie Ifekwe purporting same to have emanated from Fidelity Bank Plc.

In handing down the judgment, Justice Lawal-Akapo held that the former Fidelity Bank staff should spend one year on the 1st count, one year on the 2nd count, 2 years on the 3rd count and 2 years on the 4th count.

The judge further ordered that upon the completion of his jail term, Chibuike should restitute a sum to the tune N1, 451,592.00 being the outstanding balance to the victim.
According to the judge, Chibuike’s one year jail term is to run concurrently from the day of the sentence.

Meanwhile, the convicted Chibuike has so far restituted a sum to the tune of N3.498.408.