THE Federal Ministry of Justice has charged First Bank of Nigeria Limited, its managing director, Nnamdi Okonkwo and three other individuals with forgery.
The charge sheet, CR/266/2023, filed before the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory in Abuja, also names two lawyers, Muftau Ande and Dibiaezue Chuks, as well as the Utako Branch Manager of First Bank of Nigeria in Abuja.
The five defendants were accused, among other things, of forging a “tripartite legal mortgage without the consent of the proprietor of Whiteplain British School, Francis Chukwumah Nwufor, with intent to commit fraud,” according to the charge sheet filed by the Federal Ministry of Justice.
The defendants were also tried to accuse of defrauding Nwufor of his property by forging a tripartite legal mortgage.
The prosecution claimed that the defendants conspired in 2016, within the jurisdiction of the court, to forge a tripartite legal mortgage without the consent of Nwufor, the proprietor of Whiteplain British School.
The defendants were charged with forgery and criminal conspiracy in the first count, in violation of Penal Code Sections 96 and 363.
Furthermore, the prosecution claimed that the defendants committed a criminal breach of trust in violation of Penal Code Section 311 and that they are punishable under Penal Code Section 312.
The defendants were accused in the third count of dishonestly dispossessing Nwufor of his property while being entrusted with the tripartite legal mortgage.
After the prosecution lawyer, Ndidi Ezinwa-Ukoha, stated that all defendants had yet to be served with the charge, Justice Jude Onwuegbuzie adjourned the arraignment until May 8.
Reacting to the forgery charges, the bank said in a statement that it was a sponsored sensational report by some online publications.
According to the Bank, “our attention has been drawn to a sensational report sponsored by some online publications on a charge brought against the Bank. While we will not be able to offer further comments as the matter is sub-judice, suffice it to say that the basis of the charge is a spurious allegation made by a delinquent debtor with the intention of embarrassing the Bank and tainting the Bank’s loan recovery efforts and legal enforcement of its security collateral interest in accordance with the terms thereof’’.
