The Economic and Financial Crimes
Commission has obtained a remand order to keep the Managing Director of
Fidelity Bank Plc, Mr. Nnamdi Okonkwo, and the bank’s Head of
Operations, Mr. Martins Izuogbe, pending the outcome of investigations.
A reliable source at the EFCC told our
correspondent on Friday that the EFCC had been given permission to
detain the suspects for 30 days.
The source said, “On Thursday, we
approached a court in Lagos, where we applied for a remand order. The
court granted our prayer and gave us permission to hold them for 30 days
pending the conclusion of investigations.”
This implies that the two top bankers would spend the Workers’ Day holiday in detention.
The anti-graft agency had arrested
Okonkwo and Izuogbe earlier in the week for their alleged role in the
distribution of $115m (N23bn) to officials of the Independent National
Electoral Commission and election monitors about two days before the
2015 presidential election.
The bank officials were said to have
handled the funds for a former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani
Alison-Madueke. Diezani was said to have met with Okonkwo before the
elections and handed him $26m in cash to help her keep even though she
had no account with Fidelity Bank.
She was also alleged to have informed
the bank MD that four other companies would deposit $89m and he should
help her to convert the monies to naira.
Diezani’s son, Ugonna Madueke, who the
EFCC is now looking for, allegedly gave Okonkwo a list containing the
names of people who would receive the funds.
Fidelity Bank has, however, denied any
wrongdoing, adding that it reported its financial dealings to the
appropriate authorities.
posted by Oscar Jonathan
posted by Oscar Jonathan
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