First Bank of Nigeria Limited, its managing director, and three others have been dragged to court by the Nigerian Government over charges of forgery in a suit marked CR/266/2023 before the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.
The charge sheet, which the Federal Ministry of Justice filed included two lawyers, Muftau Ande, and Dibiaezue Chuks, and the Utako Branch Manager of First Bank, Abuja.
Amongst others, the five defendants were indicted, of falsifying a “tripartite legal mortgage without the consent of the proprietor of Whiteplain British School, Mr Francis Chukwumah Nwufor, with intent to commit fraud” as well as fraudulently stripping Nwufor of his property using the counterfeit tripartite legal mortgage.
The prosecution claimed that the defendants had some time in 2016, within the court’s jurisdiction, conspired to forge a tripartite legal mortgage without the consent of the proprietor of Whiteplain British School, Mr. Francis Chukwumah Nwufor, with the intent to commit fraud.
The defendants were in the first count, indicted with forgery and criminal conspiracy contrary to sections 96 and 363 of the Penal Code.
The prosecution further purported that the defendants, contrary to Section 311 of the Penal Code committed a criminal breach of trust, pointing out that they are liable to be penalized under Section 312 of the same law.
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The defendants were in the third count alleged of deceitfully depriving Nwufor of his property while being trusted with the tripartite legal mortgage, as Justice Jude Onwuegbuzie adjourned the matter till May 8 for arraignment, after Ndidi Ezinwa-Ukoha, the prosecution lawyer, stated that all the defendants were yet to be served with the charge.
While responding to reports, an official said he would give a response after speaking with the bank’s legal team.