It was high drama at the Lagos Special Offences Court, Ikeja, on Monday as Justice Rahman Oshodi refused to grant bail to Samuel Ihechukwu Asiegbu, a staff of WEMA Bank Plc, accused of masterminding an audacious fraud of N8.568 billion against the bank.
While six of his accomplices, Ejim Kingsley Kelechi, Onyeimachi Fabian, Hamzat Zakariya, Achonu Chukwuka Ubaka, Sunday Osademe and Nurudeen Ibrahim who pleaded guilty, secured bail on strict conditions, Asiegbu’s fate took a different turn.
Justice Oshodi ruled that the evidence against the bank official was “weighty,” raising fears that he might abscond if released.
The seven defendants are standing trial for conspiracy,
unauthorised access to the bank’s computer system, and the theft of billions
from WEMA Bank Plc.
In a twist, the court heard that four of the accused,
including Asiegbu, had applied for plea bargains with the Economic and
Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), though only three applications have so far
been approved.
Granting bail to the other defendants in the sum of N50
million each, Justice Oshodi ordered them to surrender their international
passports, provide tax records for three years, and present sureties whose bank
accounts could be flagged up to the bail sum pending trial.
He held: “The second, fourth, and sixth defendants, being
holders of valid international passports, shall surrender the same to the chief
registrar of this court.
“The third, fifth, and seventh defendants, not possessing
valid international passports, shall provide written undertaking not to apply
for or obtain any travel document without the prior leave of this court, and
without the dependency of this court.
“The court registrar shall notify the Nigeria Immigration
Service of the submission of the passport, and the conditions requiring the
undertaking, depending the determination of this case.
The judge stated further that “All the sureties shall be
placed in state shelter maintained by the Lagos State judiciary.”
He added, “These sureties shall produce evidence of tax
paid to Lagos State within the last three years.
“These sureties shall sign an undertaking, consenting to
the placement of the debt on their bank account to the limit of the due sum,
pending the final determination of the case before this court.
“The Chief Registrar of this court shall verify all bail
conditions.
“The first defendant’s application for bail is refused,”
the judge ruled, directing an accelerated hearing of the case.
The matter was adjourned until September 19, 2025, when
the plea bargain agreements will be considered.
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