An employee of the First City Monument Bank (FCMB), Felix Diete, has been convicted and sentenced to four years imprisonment.
Felix Diete was jailed on Monday, January 11, 2021 by Justice Jane Inyang of the Federal High Court sitting in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State after four years of diligent prosecution by the Port Harcourt zonal office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
It was gathered that three customers of FCMB had on September 2, 2016, complained that they gave Diete the sum of N6 million to deposit in their accounts but the convict deposited the sum of N4m and converted the balance to his personal use.
Diete was arraigned in January, 2017 on three-count charges 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 (Laws of the Federation of Nigeria) 2007 read along with Section 1(1)(d) of the Failed Bank (Recovery of Debts) and Financial Malpractices in Bank Act CAP B3 of the revised edition (Laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria) 2007.
One of the three counts read: “That you Felix Diete sometime in September 2016 at Port Harcourt within the judicial division of this Honorable Court being an employee of First City Monument Bank did fraudulently steal the sum of N2 million only, property of Ukenna Ngozi Godswill, a customer of First City Monument Bank and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 383 and punishable under 390 (6) (b)( 8) and 9 of Criminal Code CAP C- 38 of the revised edition (Laws of the Federation of Nigeria) 2007 read along with Section 1(1)(d) of the Failed Bank (Recovery of Debts) and Financial Malpractices in Bank Act CAP B3 of the revised edition (Laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria) 2007.
He pleaded not guilty to the charges. His plea prompted the prosecuting counsel, Adebayo Soares, to prepare a ground for trial which lasted four years, resulting in his conviction.
In his judgment on Monday, Justice Inyang said the prosecution proved its case beyond reasonable doubt on count one and convicted and sentenced Diete to four years imprisonment on the count.
