Ex-bank chief, wife stole N100bn depositors’ funds —EFCC •As Akingbola’s arraignment fails to hold

Posted by admin EFCC Politics, Headlines Thursday, May 5th, 2011

THE Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), on Wednesday, said it arrested the wife of the sacked Managing Director of PlatinumHabib Bank (PHB), Mrs Elizabeth Atuche, for allegedly colluding with her husband, Francis Atuche, to steal N100 billion depositors’ funds while the latter was in charge of the bank.

Her company was said to have been used in stealing the staggering amount.

EFCC’s spokesperson, Mr Femi Babafemi, confirmed the arrest.

According to Babafemi, Atuche’s wife was picked up by the operatives of the EFCC in Lagos, on Wednesday, while the husband was said to be at large, as the commission continued its fresh crackdown on him.

The renewed onslaught, which had seen about 10 former bank chiefs re-arrested and re-arraigned, was said to have been triggered by fresh evidence of alleged corruption against them.

Also arrested in Lagos, on Wednesday, according to Babafemi, was Mr Bayo Dada, a suspected associate of detained former Group Managing Director of Intercontinental Bank Plc, Dr Erastus Akingbola.

The commission, on Tuesday, arrested and detained Akingbola, his colleagues in Afribank and Finbank, Messrs Sebastine Adigwe and Okey Nwosu, over alleged stealing of depositors’ funds running into billions of naira.

Meanwhile, the arraignment of Dr Akingbola at the Federal High Court in Lagos by the EFCC could not hold on Wednesday as expected.

After several hours of waiting by journalists, who had besieged the court as early as 8.00 a.m, both the accused and officials of the commission were nowhere to be found.

The newsmen, upon getting information that the accused might be arraigned at the Lagos High Court, moved down to the Igbosere Division of the court.

On getting there, it was gathered that judges of the court were currently in South Africa for a retreat and would commence sitting next week.

A counsel for the commission, who pleaded anonymity, in a chat with newsmen at the premises of the Lagos High Court, said the suspects were in the Lagos custody of the commission.

-Tribunewp_posts