Justice Akintayo Aluko of the Federal High Court, Lagos has sentence a customer of Sterling Bank Plc, Mr Chris Uche Wilson to 51 years imprisonment for defrauding the bank to the tune of N48,069,450.00.
The judge sentences Wilson to the term of imprisonment on Tuesday following his plea of guilt to the 11 counts charge bothering on conspiracy, Obtaining money by false pretences,Money Laundering and cybercrime preferred against him by the Police Special Fraud Unit, Milverton Street, Ikoyi Lagos.
According to the charge, Chris Uche Wilson a customer of Sterling Bank Plc under the ‘Doubble Platform Investment Schemes’ of the bank and others at large were said to have sometime in the year 2020, at Lagos State and Delta State converted to himself through the use of 47 Sterling Bank Plc Debit Card issued in favour of one PETER OKOH the sum of N20,888,238.51 through Sterling Bank Plc account numbers 0077390643 and 0077673285 domiciled at Sterling Bank Plc in the name of PETER OKOH being part of the N48,069,450.00 the convict fraudulently credited to the accounts of ‘Doubble Platform Customers’ for his own use and without authorization by the bank
Wilson who was arraigned by the police on December 2, 2021 and had since remain in custody due to the court refusal of his bail application later changed his mind and pleaded guilty after the police had already called four prosecution witnesses and was about to call the Investigating Police Officer, IPO, Inspector Amsat Rasak as the fifth witness.
Following his change of plea from not guilty to guilty, the facts of the case was consequently reviewed by Barrister Chukwu Agu of the PSFU who tendered all relevant documents and the statements of the defendant after which he urged to the court to convict Wilson as charge.
Justice Aluko after reviewing the submission of Agwu consequently convict Wilson as charged.
Before the court passed sentence on him, Wilson pleaded for mercy and promised to turn a new leaf and henceforth use his God- given intelligence purposefully.
He said his experience since his incarceration has thought him bitter lesson that would guide him in life.
His counsel Barrister E. O Ajoku joined him in pleading for mercy in his allocutus, adding that the convict has promised never to go back to crime.
The prosecutor, Chukwu Agwu in his submission averred the mind of the court to sections 319 to 321 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, ACJA , 2015 which he said deals with compensation and restitution to victims of crime.
Justice Aluko in his judgement sentenced the convict to seven years imprisonment each on counts one to three, 3 years imprisonment each on counts four to eight and 5 years imprisonment each on counts nine to eleven
The judge however, ruled that the sentence shall run concurrently.
Justice Aluko also ordered the prosecution to file necessary application for the recovery of the victim’s funds said to be in the bank accounts of some individuals that were not before the court.
The eleven count charge against the convict reads:
COUNT 1.
That you CHRIS UCHE WILSON ‘M?’ being a customer to Sterling Bank Plc under the ‘Doubble Platform Investment Schemes’ of the bank and others now at large sometimes in the year 2020 in Lagos, Lagos State and Delta State within the jurisdiction of the Honourable Court, did conspire amongst yourselves to commit – felony to wit: Obtaining money by false pretences, Money Laundering to the tune of about N48,069,450.00 and Cybercrimes and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 18 (a) and punishable under Section 15(1 (a) and (b) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011(As Amended in 2012).
COUNT 2.
That you Chris Uche Wilson, ‘male’ being a customer to Sterling Bank Plc under the ‘Doubble Platform Investment Schemes’ of the bank and others now at large, sometime in the year 2020, at Lagos, Lagos State and Delta State within the jurisdiction of the Honourable Court, did convert to yourself through the use of 47 Sterling Bank Plc Debit Card issued in favour of one PETER OKOH °Male’ the sum of N20,888,238.51 through Sterling Bank Plc account numbers 0077390643 and 0077673285 domiciled at Sterling Bank Plc in the name of the said PETER OKOH ‘M’, being part of the N48,069,450.00 you fraudulently credited to the accounts of ‘Doubble Platform Customers’ for your own use and without authorization by the bank, knowing that such funds form part of proceeds of unlawful act and thereby committed an offence punishable under section 15(1)(a) and (b) of Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011(As Amended in 2012).
COUNT 3
That you Chris Uche Wilson ‘M’ being a customer to Sterling Bank Plc under the ‘Double Platform Investment Schemes’ of the bank and others now at large, sometime in the year 2020, at Lagos, Lagos State and Delta State within the jurisdiction of the Honourable Court, did convert to yourself through the use of Sterling Bank Plc Debit Card issued in favour of one NKECHI NWAIDUMU ‘Fenale’ the sum of N5,102,470,68 through her Sterling Bank Plc account number 0077389883 domiciled in the name of the said NKECHI NWAIDUMU being part of the N48,069,450.00 you fraudulently credited to the accounts of ‘Doubble Platform Customers’ for your own use and without authorization by the bank, knowing that such funds form part of proceeds of unlawful act and thereby committed an offence punishable under section 15(1)a) and (b) of Money Laundering(Prohibition) Act, 201 1(As Amended in 2012).
COUNT 4,
That you Chris Uche Wilson being a customer to Sterling Bank Plc under the ‘Doubble Platform Investment Schemes’ of the bank, sometime in the year 2020, at Lagos, Lagos State and Delta State within the jurisdiction of the Honourable Court, knowingly and in excess authority did cause losses to Sterling Bank Pic to the tune of N48,069,450.00 by altering, inputting and suppressing data held in the bank’s Double Platform Investment Schemes for the purpose of conferring economic benefits to yourself by fraudulently crediting Sterling Bank Pic account numbers 0077390643 and 0077673285 belonging to PETER OKOH to the tone of N18,117,000.00 and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 14(1) of Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention) Act, 2015.
COUNTS 5
That you Chris Uche Wilson being a customer to Sterling Bank Plc under the ‘Doubble Platform Investment Schemes’ of the bank, sometime in the year 2020, at Lagos, Lagos State and Delta State within the jurisdiction of the honourable court, knowingly and in excess authority did cause losses to Sterling Bank Pic to the tone of N48,069,450.00 by altering. inputting and suppressing data held in the bank’s Double Platform Investment Schemes for the purpose of conferring economic benefits to yourself by fraudulently crediting Sterling Bank Plc account number 0077389883 of NKECHI NWAIDUMU to the tune of N5,102,470,68 and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 14(1) of Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention) Act, 2015.
COUNT 6,
That you CHRIS UCHE WILSON ‘M? being a customer to Sterling Bank Plc under the ‘Doubble Platform Investment Schemes’ of the bank, sometime in the year 2020, at Lagos, Lagos State and Delta State within the jurisdiction of the Honourable Court, knowingly and in excess authority did cause losses to Sterling Bank Plc to the tune of N48,069,450.00 by altering, inputting and suppressing data held in the bank’s Double Platform Investment Schemes for the purpose of conferring economic benefits to yourself by fraudulently crediting Sterling Bank Plc account number 0077390447 of ERNEST PAUL CHUKWUKA to the tune of N9,899,750.00 and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 14(1) of Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention) Act, 2015.
COUNT 7.
That you CHRIS UCHE WILSON ‘M’ being a customer to Sterling Bank Ple under the ‘Doubble Platform Investment Schemes’ of the bank, sometime in the year 2020, at Lagos, Lagos State and Delta State within the jurisdiction of the Honourable Court, knowingly and in excess authority did cause losses to Sterling Bank Plc to the tune of N48,069,450.00 by altering, inputting and suppressing data held in the bank’s Double Platform Investment Schemes for the purpose of conferring economic benefits to yourself by fraudulently crediting Sterling Bank Plc account number – 0068546732 of ENYINNAYA WILSON to the tune of N769,000.00 and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 14(1) of Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention) Act, 2015.
COUNT 8,
That you CHRIS UCHE WILSON ‘M’ being a customer to Sterling Bank Plc under the ‘Doubble Platform Investment Schemes’ of the bank, sometime in the year 2020, at Lagos, Lagos State and Delta State within the jurisdiction of the Honourable Court, with intent and without lawful authority modified data held in the network of Sterling Bank Plc Doubble Platform Investment Schemes and which caused losses to Sterling Bank Plc to the tone of N48,069,450.00 and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 16(1) of Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention) Act, 2015.
COUNT 9,
That you CHRIS UCHE WILSON ‘M? being a customer to Sterling Bank Plc under the ‘Doubble Platform Investment Schemes’ of the bank, sometime in the year 2020, at Lagos, Lagos State and Delta State within the jurisdiction of the Honourable Court, fraudulently made use of Sterling Bank Debit Card issued to PETER OKOH with accounts numbers 0077390643 and 007767328, ERNEST PAUL CHUKWUKA account number -0077390447 and NKECH NWAIDIMI – account number 0077389883 and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 22 (2) (a) of Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention) Act, 2015.
COUNT 10.
That you CHRIS UCHE WILSON ‘M?’ being a customer to Sterling Bank Plc under the ‘Doubble Platform Investment Schemes’ of the bank, sometime in the year 2020, at Lagos, Lagos State and Delta State within the jurisdiction of the Honourable Court, fraudulently impersonated PETER OKOH with account numbers — 0077390643 and 0077673285, ERNEST PAUL CHUKWUKA account number — 0077390447 and NKECH NWAIDUMU – account number 0077389883 with intent to obtain a total of N48,069,450.00 property of Sterling Bank Plc and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 22 (2) (b) (ii) of Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention) Act,2015.
Count 11,
That you CHRIS UCHE WILSON being a customer to Sterling Bank Plc under the ‘Doubble Platform Investment Schemes’ of the bank, sometime in the year 2020, at Lagos, Lagos State and Delta State within the jurisdiction of the Honourable Court, indirectly made false statements to the bank by stating that PETER OKOH with accounts numbers -0077390643 and 0077673285, ERNEST CHUKWUKA – account number – 0077390447 and NKECH NWAIDUMU account number 0077389883 were customers to the bank and that they were in need of the bank’s Debit Cards, knowing it to be false and with intent that it be relied upon by the bank respecting the identities of the above mentioned persons, for the purpose of procuring or issuance of Sterling Bank Pie Debit Cards to them and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 22 (3) of Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention) Act, 2015.
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