UBA contract staff allegedly steals N5m

On Wednesday, police in Lagos charged Blessing Ekpe, a 23-year-old contract employee, with stealing five million Naira from the United Bank for Africa (UBA).

The defendant is on trial in Ogudu Magistrates’ Court on a two-count conspiracy and stealing charge.

However, Ekpe, who lives in Ikorodu, Lagos State, has pleaded not guilty to the charge.

The defendant committed the theft on August 2 at 11:00 a.m. at a UBA branch in Ketu, Lagos, according to the prosecutor, Insp Sunday Bassey.

He claimed that the defendant and others conspired to steal the money from the bank.

Bassey stated that the defendant worked as a contract employee in the bank’s bulk department.

According to him, Ekpe was supposed to collect large sums of money from consumers and process them through the bank.

According to the prosecutor, the defendant diverted five million Naira from the bulk money for her personal use.

“The theft was discovered while an auditor was performing routine auditing at the bank.”

“During an underground investigation, the bank discovered that the defendant diverted some bulk money that was supposed to be credited to the bank,” Bassey explained.

The defendant was arrested, according to the prosecutor, as a result of the discovery.

According to Bassey, the offenses violated Sections 287(7) and 411 of the Lagos State Criminal Law, 2015.

According to Section 287 of the Penal Code, stealing from one’s employer is punishable by seven years in prison, according to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) (7).

Mrs. O. A. Daodu, the Magistrate, granted the defendant bail in the amount of one million Naira with two sureties in the same amount.

She ruled that the sureties must be gainfully employed and provide proof of two years of tax payments to the Lagos State Government.

The magistrate adjourned the case until December 21 for further consideration.