By Megito Audu
As a staff of Access Bank Plc, Onus Osagie Amahian, has a dubious way of enriching himself. And he has a ‘perfect’ plan for it, reports The Gazelle News.com.
As an IT officer with the bank, he certainly knows what to do to actualize his dreams.
He inserted the names and account numbers of his family members, relatives and friends into the payroll of the Delta State Government and started paying money from the state govenrment into the accounts.
For three months, Osagie was enjoying his loot, transferring money into the accounts and living large from the proceeds. It took three months for the bubble to burst and by that time, Osagie had defrauded the Delta State Government of N9.344 million. That was between August and October 2011. Osagie was a staff of the Asaba branch of Access Bank Plc.
When the bubble burst, officials of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Benin Zonal command were invited and Osagie was arrested.
After interrogation and investigation by the anti-graft agency, Osagie was taken to court and slammed with a 25-count charge bordering on forgery and making false entry into the Delta State Government payroll.
He was prosecuted at Federal High Court, Asaba.
One the the counts reads: “that you Onus Osagie Amahian between the month of August and October 2011 at Access Bank Asaba Branch within the jurisdiction of this honourable court did steal the sum of N9.344 million only from Delta State Government payroll (NEFT/ DTSG/.TCO/ ACC ) in Access Bank PLC branch Asaba and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 390(6) of the Criminal Code Act CAp C38 of the Revised Edition ( Laws of the Federation of Nigeria) 2007”
Another reads: “that you Onus Osagie Amahian on or about the 26th day of August, 2011 at Access Bank Branch Asaba within the jurisdiction of this honourable court did make false entry by purportedly transferring the sum of N450,942 out of Delta State government payroll ( NEFT / DTSG/ TCO/ ACC) in Access Bank Plc branch Asaba into access bank account number : 0009564039 operated by Osagie Blessing knowing same to be false and thereby committed an offence contrary to section 1(2)(C) of the Miscellaneous Offences Act Cap M17 of the Revised Edition (Law’s of the Federation of Nigeria) 2007 and punishable under Section 1(2) of the same Act”.
Upon arraignment the defendant pleaded guilty to the 25 count charge prompting the prosecution counsel, F.O. Dibang to ask the court to convict and sentence him accordingly. He also prayed the court that the defendant make restitution to the victim of the crime. However, the defence counsel pleaded with the court to temper justice with mercy as her client had become remorseful for his action and has been in prison custody for sometime
He was thus convicted on all counts.
Monday, 30 November, 2020 will be the judgment day for Osagie as Justice T. B. Adegoke is set to sentence him in accordance with the dictates of the law.
