A Diamond Bank Plc, Okota branch Marketer who was reported to have fled with the sum of N309,000 collected as deposits from traders has been arrested by the Operatives of the Nigerian Police Force.
The financial institution was reported to have contracted the suspect, one Isiaka Abiodun from Strategic Outsourcing Limited located in Lekki area of the state in 2013.
The 28-year-old arrested suspect collected the sum of money from Mrs. Nneka Eze, a trader in Lekki, and two others identified as Ebulu and Chidera.
However, Eze who had deposited a sum of N300,000 to the bank through the suspect in July, 2015 approached the bank on the alleged fraud, an action which made Abiodun disappear upon uncovering the fraudulent practice in November.
The bank upon the customer’s complaint had contacted the outsourcing company through which it employed Abiodun, the outsourcing company in turn contacted the Ajah Police Division and reported the case.
According to the police, the suspect was later arrested on March 7, 2016 and in his statement claimed the money obtained from the fraud was used in payment of his mother’s medical bills.
He said; “I am a contract worker with the bank and I have been working there for three years. It is true that I collected N309,000 from the bank customers. But I used the money to treat my mother who had a stroke. I travelled in November to attend to her. I have paid N50,000 to the bank. I intend to pay the balance in instalment from my salary.”
At the Tinubu Magistrate’s court where he was arraigned for stealing, the charge “That you, Isiaka Abiodun (28), sometime in July, 2015 at Diamond Bank, Okota branch, Okota, in the Lagos Magisterial District, being a marketer attached to the bank from Strategic Outsourcing Limited, Southern View Estate, Lekki, Lagos, did steal a sum of N309,000 given to you for saving, being property of one Mrs. Nneka Eze, thereby committing an offence punishable under Section 285 (7) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, Nigeria, 2011.” was read to the suspect who pleaded not guilty thereby moving the case to trail.
The Pressing judge, Mr. A. Adefulire before adjourning the case till April 20, 2016 granted the suspect bail in the sum of N400,000 with two sureties in like sum adding that the sureties must tender evidence of tax payments and details of their residential addresses to the court for verification.