EFCC arrests ex-bankers for stealing from deceased customer’s funds

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) says it has arrested two former employees of Union Bank for allegedly stealing N4.2 million from a deceased customer’s account.

The suspects – Idah Ogoh and Agbo Okwute – were arrested on Friday, according to a statement issued on Saturday by EFCC’s spokesperson, Dele Oyewale.

The suspects allegedly perpetrated the fraud using debit cards procured on the account without the consent of account owner or family.

The commission said it began investigation into the matter after receiving a complaint from the bank complaining about suspected fraudulent debits on the account of the deceased customer, Emmanuel Agenna.

According to the anti-graft agency, the family had approached the bank to request the balance on his account for probate processing.

The family disputed the balance provided by the bank, leading to a complaint about unauthorised debits on the account.

“Based on their complaints, the bank carried out an internal investigation and its findings revealed that a debit card was procured on the deceased’s customer account on 10 May 2023 by Ifah Ogoh, one of the bank’s Sales and Service Associates, which was authorised by the bank on the same date.

“Further findings by the bank showed that the procured card by Ogoh was handed over to another Sales and Service Associates, Agbo Omwute, who eventually delivered the card to an accomplice for transfer and withdrawal of funds from the account of the deceased. Several withdrawals were allegedly made by the suspects through the accomplice,” the statement added.

The commission said the suspects would be charged in court “as soon as investigations are concluded”.

Stealing from the dead

The case is not the first in which EFCC has accused bank workers of stealing from the dead.

In March 2020, EFCC arraigned five workers of Fidelity Bank Plc before the Akwa Ibom State High Court on charges of diverting N37.69 million from deceased customers’ accounts for personal use.

The accused—Mbong Essien, Akwa Akwa, Precious John, Kenneth Udoetuk, and Ubong Udom—face 23 counts, including conspiracy, forgery, and criminal conversion of depositors’ funds.