EFCC arrests banker for swindling school in Rivers

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has arrested a
banker with Access Bank identified as Cyril Ndakoji Amaechi for
defrauding Jephthah International School.

The EFCC told newsmen in Port Harcourt on Friday that Amaechi
received N36, 186, 012 (thirty-six million, one hundred and
eighty-sixty thousand and twelve naira) from the school and
diverted same for his private use.

The South-South Zonal Head of the EFCC, Mr. Ishaq Salihu, who
disclosed this in Port Harcourt, said the suspect, a marketer in
the bank, had connived with two other persons to swindle the school
management.

Salihu also added that while Amaechi was using the schools
deposit to build a mansion for himself, he (suspect) issued fake
bank statement to the school management, giving the impression that
their funds were intact.

The building, which is sited at Rumuekini in Obio/Akpor Local
Government Area of Rivers State, housed a three-bedroom flat and a
double two-bedroom flats.

Speaking further, Salihu explained that the banker got two of
his friends involved in the crime in a bid to ensure that the
school management was convinced that their money was intact in the
bank.

He added that Amaechi had managed to use monies from somebody’s
bank account to pay the school when they came for withdrawal,
adding that the suspect later found it difficult to balance the two
accounts.

The EFCC zonal director said, “The proprietress of Jephthah
International School reported to her banker, Access Bank, that some
of her cheques cannot be cashed. In the evening of that day, Access
Bank, through their representative reported to the EFCC to look
into the matter.

“Investigators immediately swung into action and the culprit,
the principal suspect, and his accomplices were arrested. The
proceeds of the crime have been recovered substantially. We
realised that he has built a one-three bedroom apartment and two
two-bedroom apartments from the proceeds of his criminal
activity.

“He is a marketer and accounts officer of Jephthah International
School. He was literally robbing Peter to pay Paul. When the centre
could not hold, the school realised that their cheques could not be
honoured and reported back to the bank to find out what was
happening.

“Earlier on, he (suspect) had got one of his accomplices in the
person of Oboma Chisom, who posed as a Customer Relations Officer
of Access Bank to place a call to the Administrator of Jephthah
International School, that she should tarry a while; that the bank
was having some network problems and that her cheques will be
honoured within a short period of time.”

The EFCC zonal head explained that the suspect got in touch with
one Adebayo, who helped him to design letter-headed papers of his
(Adebayo) organisation and succeeded in paying the proprietor of
the school staff salaries and thereby temporarily eased the
building tension.

“He was trying to balance two different accounts and the same
time. We have gone for interim forfeiture order to enable us to
seize the property he acquired with proceeds from the crime,”
Salihu said.

However, the anti-graft agency has arrested two persons, Tasiu
Ismail and Haruna Ismail, suspected to have cloned the Facebook
account of the Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development
Commission, Mr. Nsima Ekere.

Also arrested was one Rowland Chimezie for allegedly
impersonating top government officials, including Bayelsa State
Governor, Seriake Dickson and chairman of the Peoples Democratic
Party in Rivers State, Chief Felix Obuah.

The proprietor of Jephthah International Secondary School, Port
Harcourt, Edith Chukwuogo, thanked the EFCC for their commitment
towards ensuring that the suspect was fished out.

She also expressed gratitude to Access Bank for deciding to pay
the money diverted by the suspect.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has arrested a
banker with Access Bank identified as Cyril Ndakoji Amaechi for
defrauding Jephthah International School.

The EFCC told newsmen in Port Harcourt on Friday that Amaechi
received N36, 186, 012 (thirty-six million, one hundred and
eighty-sixty thousand and twelve naira) from the school and
diverted same for his private use.

The South-South Zonal Head of the EFCC, Mr. Ishaq Salihu, who
disclosed this in Port Harcourt, said the suspect, a marketer in
the bank, had connived with two other persons to swindle the school
management.

Salihu also added that while Amaechi was using the schools
deposit to build a mansion for himself, he (suspect) issued fake
bank statement to the school management, giving the impression that
their funds were intact.

The building, which is sited at Rumuekini in Obio/Akpor Local
Government Area of Rivers State, housed a three-bedroom flat and a
double two-bedroom flats.

Speaking further, Salihu explained that the banker got two of
his friends involved in the crime in a bid to ensure that the
school management was convinced that their money was intact in the
bank.

He added that Amaechi had managed to use monies from somebody’s
bank account to pay the school when they came for withdrawal,
adding that the suspect later found it difficult to balance the two
accounts.

The EFCC zonal director said, “The proprietress of Jephthah
International School reported to her banker, Access Bank, that some
of her cheques cannot be cashed. In the evening of that day, Access
Bank, through their representative reported to the EFCC to look
into the matter.

“Investigators immediately swung into action and the culprit,
the principal suspect, and his accomplices were arrested. The
proceeds of the crime have been recovered substantially. We
realised that he has built a one-three bedroom apartment and two
two-bedroom apartments from the proceeds of his criminal
activity.

“He is a marketer and accounts officer of Jephthah International
School. He was literally robbing Peter to pay Paul. When the centre
could not hold, the school realised that their cheques could not be
honoured and reported back to the bank to find out what was
happening.

“Earlier on, he (suspect) had got one of his accomplices in the
person of Oboma Chisom, who posed as a Customer Relations Officer
of Access Bank to place a call to the Administrator of Jephthah
International School, that she should tarry a while; that the bank
was having some network problems and that her cheques will be
honoured within a short period of time.”

The EFCC zonal head explained that the suspect got in touch with
one Adebayo, who helped him to design letter-headed papers of his
(Adebayo) organisation and succeeded in paying the proprietor of
the school staff salaries and thereby temporarily eased the
building tension.

“He was trying to balance two different accounts and the same
time. We have gone for interim forfeiture order to enable us to
seize the property he acquired with proceeds from the crime,”
Salihu said.

However, the anti-graft agency has arrested two persons, Tasiu
Ismail and Haruna Ismail, suspected to have cloned the Facebook
account of the Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development
Commission, Mr. Nsima Ekere.

Also arrested was one Rowland Chimezie for allegedly
impersonating top government officials, including Bayelsa State
Governor, Seriake Dickson and chairman of the Peoples Democratic
Party in Rivers State, Chief Felix Obuah.

The proprietor of Jephthah International Secondary School, Port
Harcourt, Edith Chukwuogo, thanked the EFCC for their commitment
towards ensuring that the suspect was fished out.

She also expressed gratitude to Access Bank for deciding to pay
the money diverted by the suspect.