The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Tuesday re-arraigned Francis Atuche, the convicted former Managing Director (MD) of the defunct Bank PHB Plc, alongside two others for alleged conspiracy and forgery at the Lagos Special Offences Court, Ikeja.
Atuche, along with Nnosiri Joachim (also known as Ifeanyi) and Uguru Onyike, appeared before Justice O. O. Abike-Fadipe to answer charges related to forging key documents.
The case, previously handled by Justice Habeeb Abiru and then Justice Adeniyi Onigbanjo, began afresh due to judicial transfers.
One of the charges reads: “That you, Mr Francis Atuche, Nnosiri Joachim (a.k.a. Ifeanyi), and Uguru Onyike, on or about 4th day of March 2013, in Lagos, within the Ikeja Judicial Division, with intent to defraud, conspired to commit felony to wit: forgery of a document titled: ‘BOARD RESOLUTION’ of Future View Securities Limited dated 17th December 2007.”
Another charge accused Joachim of fraudulently presenting a forged Board Resolution of Trajek Nigeria Limited to Keystone Bank, purportedly signed by Elizabeth Ebi, a Director of the company.
All three defendants pleaded not guilty to the charges. As a result, counsel for the EFCC, Fanen Anum requested a date for the commencement of trial, as the matter is starting afresh.
On their part, the defence lawyers, Anthony Ejere and Clement Onwuenwunor (SAN) asked the court to allow their clients to continue on the earlier bail granted them by Justice Onigbanjo.
In her ruling, Justice Fadipe upheld their requests and adjourned the trial to May 6, 7, 8, 13, 20, and 27, 2025.
Atuche’s fresh legal troubles came over alleged attempts to introduce forged documents into an ongoing EFCC case before Justice Lateefat Okunnu.
According to EFCC investigations, Atuche contacted Joachim, an office assistant at Keystone Bank, to procure and deliver forged Board Resolutions of Future View Securities Limited, Extra Oil Limited, and Trajek Nigeria Limited, which had been missing since 2009.
Atuche, once a prominent figure in Nigeria’s banking sector, had faced multiple corruption and financial fraud cases since the collapse of Bank PHB.
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