Man Arrested For Not Returning N20Million Mistakingly Transferred To His Account

The EFCC’s Kaduna Zonal Command has charged a serving airman, Lance Corporal Haruna Samuel of the Nigeria Air Force Base, Kaduna, with theft and criminal misappropriation on a one-count allegation.

On Tuesday, January 18, the defendant was brought before Justice Darius Khobo of the Kaduna State High Court.

The defendant was accused of receiving a credit alert for N 20, 014,300 (Twenty Million, Fourteen Thousand, Three Hundred Naira) into his bank account on December 3, 2020.

The funds were wired from his employer’s account by mistake. Rather than disclosing the problem to his bank or employer, the defendant took a portion of the money for personal use, such as paying off debts.

Following the execution of this fraudulent act, the defendant fled his duty post to Plateau State, where he was apprehended by Commission operatives.

The charge laid against the defendant reads: “That you, Haruna Samuel sometime in December 2020 in Kaduna within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court dishonestly misappropriated the sum of N20, 014,300.00 (Twenty Million and Fourteen Thousand, Three Hundred Naira), property of NAF Ground Training Centre which was erroneously sent to your Zenith Bank account No. 2189705893 which said sum you dishonestly converted to your own use and you thereby committed an offense contrary to Section 293 of the Kaduna State Penal Code Law, 2017 and punishable under Section 294 of the same Law”.

When the charge was read before him, the defendant pled not guilty.

Precious C. Onyeneho, the prosecution’s lawyer, asked the court to set a date for the trial to begin in light of his plea.

However, the defense attorney, S.A Yahaya, filed an oral application for bail, pleading with the court to release his client.

The defendant was granted bail in the amount of N5, 000,000.00 (Five Million Naira) and a reputable surety in the same amount by Justice Khobo.

The surety however must be a Kaduna property owner with a Certificate of Occupancy, which the EFCC and the Registrar of the Court will verify.

The hearing on the matter has been postponed till March 10, 2022.