Fraudsters Arrested For Trying To Withdraw N 45M From Senator David Mark’ s Bank Account

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission
today, February 5, 2014 told an Abuja High Court
presided over by Justice S. E Aladedoyinbo how
the trio of Emeka Ukor, Anthony Uzonwanne and
Babayemi Bukola conspired and forged the
signature of the Senate President, Senator David
Mark, in an attempt to fraudulently withdraw the
sum of N45 million from his bank account.
The accused persons are being prosecuted by the
EFCC on a seven count charge bordering on
conspiracy and forgery.
At the resumed hearing of the case today,
prosecution witness Benedict Agweye who was
lead in evidence by counsel to EFCC, Shata
Jamila told the court that the FinBank cheque
with which the accused persons attempted to pull
out money from Senator Mark’s account was
forged. Agweye said he came to this conclusion
after carrying out series of forensic analyses on
the document.
He disclosed that on receipt of the forged FinBank
(now FCMB) cheque and the specimen of the
genuine cheque, he commenced detailed analysis,
including simulation of the signatures to be able
to identify the existing characteristics in the
disputed signature and the signature of the
original owner of the bank account. Secondly, he
said a stereomicroscopic analysis was conducted
on the documents in order to identify all of the
microscopic characteristics in the signatures not
normally observable with the naked eye.
He went further to tell the court that a spectral
analysis was also carried out on the documents
using the foster and freeman VSC 5000. This,
according to him, was done to enable side-by-
side comparison of the documents under
magnification and to also identify areas of
obliteration and alteration in the disputed FinBank
cheque and the known specimen.
The result of these analyses Agweye said,
revealed that the author of the known specimen
signature was not the author of the disputed
FinBank cheque leaflet.
The case has been adjourned to March 10, 2014
for continuation of hearing.
Emeka, Anthony and Babayemi were arrested
sequel to a complaint from the Senate President
that the accused persons conspired and forged a
cheque leaflet allegedly belonging to FinBank
dated August 28, 2009 in an attempt to
fraudulently withdraw the sum of N45m (forty five
million naira) from his account.
Count two of the charge reads, “That you Emeka
Ukor, Anthony Uzonwanne and Babayemi Bukola,
on or about the 5th October, 2009 within the
jurisdiction of the High Court of the Federal
Capital Territory fraudulently moved a FinBank of
Nigeria Plc cheque No. 00684074 dated 28th
August, 2009 drawn in favour of Aeromagnetic
Fishers Limited on the account of Honourable
Brigadier General David Mark (rtd) in the sum of
N45,000,000.00 (Forty Five Million Naira) with the
intention of taking the said cheque dishonestly
out of possession of the said Honourable
Brigadier General David Mark (rtd), and thereby
committed an offence contrary to section 286 (1)
of the Penal Code Act cap.532 Laws of the
Federation of Nigeria (Abuja) 1990 and punishable
under section 287 of the same Act”.
Wilson Uwujaren
Ag. Head, Media & Publicity For EFCC