An employee of the First City Monument Bank, Felix Diete, has been sentenced to four years’ imprisonment by Justice Jane Inyang of the Federal High Court in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, for stealing customers’ funds.
Three customers of the bank had on September 2, 2016, complained that they gave Diete the sum of N6m to deposit in their accounts but the convict deposited the sum of N4m and converted the balance to his personal use.
Diete was subsequently arrested and arraigned on three counts bordering on stealing contrary to Section 383 and punishable under 390 (6) (b) (8) and 9 of Criminal code CAP C- 38 of the revised edition of the Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2007, and Section 1(1)(d) of the Failed Bank (Recovery of Debts) and Financial Malpractices in Bank Act, CAP B3 of the revised edition of the Laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 2007.
He pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Delivering his judgment, Justice Inyang noted that the prosecution was able to prove its case beyond reasonable doubt.
He subsequently sentenced Diete to four years’ imprisonment on count one, but discharged him on counts two and three on the grounds that the convict claimed that he had not seen the second and third prosecution witnesses before.
Punch