Two women docked for ‘stealing’ dead man’s N119.8m shares

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) yesterday June 27th, arraigned two women, Nneka Okechukwu, a former Head of Business development at Heritage Bank and Nkiru Celine Okoro, an ex-employee of C. N. Ukachukwu and Sons Ltd, at a Lagos High Court for allegedly stealing and selling a dead man’s shares worth N119, 798,253.61.The prosecutor, Miss Elizabeth Oyedotun, told the presiding judge, Justice Oluwatoyin Taiwo, that the duo committed the offences in 2013 in Lagos. “Sometime in 2013, the defendants dishonestly converted to their own use N63,028,785.32 million and N20,000,000 million, being proceeds of the sale of shares of blue chip companies, property of Ukachukwu.

In July 30, 2013, the defendants converted N33, 736,846 million to their own use being proceeds of sale of some units of shares of Nigerian Breweries (NB), property of the estate of the late Ukachukwu. Other shares from First Bank (N277, 000), UACN (140,789.59), United Bank for Africa (UBA) – N1, 453,657.75, Union Bank (N81, 186.04) and African Prudential Bank (N1, 079,988.91) were also allegedly converted by the duo". Okechukwu is alleged to have “forged the Heritage Capital Markets Limited letter dated December 16, 2013 captioned “Renegotiated outstanding” addressed to the Executor/Justice P. C. Onumajulu (retd).” while Okoro, on her part allegedly forged several C. N. Ukachukwu and Sons Ltd board resolutions purporting them to have been signed by the firm’s managing director, two directors and herself as company secretary.

The suspects pleaded not guilty. The prosecutor urged the court to remand them in prison custody but the judge ruled that they should continue to enjoy the administrative bail granted them by EFCC. Ruling on the case comes up on Thursday June 30th.