Ex-Banker Gets Five Years for N2.7 Billion Fraud

The Special Offences Court in Ikeja, Lagos, has sentenced a former banker, Christopher Jackson Edeh, to five years in prison for a N2.7 billion fraud.

The trial judge, O.O. Abike-Fadipe, found Mr Edeh guilty on nine counts of fraudulent false accounting and unauthorized access to a computer system.

The judge gave Mr Edeh five years in prison without an option of fine for each of the first seven counts, which involved fraudulent false accounting.

For the last two counts, relating to unauthorized access to a computer system, she gave him two years in prison without an option of fine.

The judge ordered that all the sentences run at the same time. Though the total years add up to 39, he will only serve five years, which is the longest single sentence, because of the concurrent order.

Dele Oyewale, the spokesperson for the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), shared this news in a statement on Tuesday.

The statement said Mr Edeh was first arraigned on 28 February 2024. He allegedly changed the account details of many customers and government-related entities.

The affected accounts included those of the Kano State Government Power Intervention Fund, NNPC Trading Limited, Stallion Vision Ltd, the Lagos State Government Blue Line project, the State Contributory Pension Account, and Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University.

Earlier reports connected Mr Edeh to unauthorized access to Fidelity Bank’s Entrust portal. Dangote Cement Plc was also mentioned among the affected customers.

During the trial, prosecution lawyer Z.B. Atiku called three witnesses and presented documents as evidence. The defense brought one witness.

In her ruling, Mrs Abike-Fadipe stated that the prosecution had proven its case beyond reasonable doubt.