The Lagos State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) Police Prosecutors have arraigned a First Bank senior manager, Nnedimma Arah, before the Federal High Court, Lagos for alleged forgery.
Prior to her arraignment, SCID detectives had filed a three-count charge against her and one Temitope Ogheneteme, based on advice from the office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).
However, during the proceedings, the Prosecutor, Emmanuel Eze, urged the court to remove Temitope Ogheneteme’s name from the charge, citing the DPP’s legal advice.
In view of this advice, the trial Judge, Justice Daniel Osiagor, granted this request, and Ogheneteme was discharged.
This amendment left Arah, who is the Branch Manager of Dosumu, Lagos Island, and an Associate Chartered Accountant (ACA), as the sole defendant in Charge No. FHC/L/582C/2025.
The SCID accused Arah of forging a letter of undertaking, supposedly issued by Freshborn Industries Limited on August 12, 2022, to cover foreign exchange differences.
Eze told the court that the alleged forgery was perpetrated from January 2023 to January 2024 at the Dosunmu Branch of First Bank of Nigeria.
Eze alleged that the document used by Arah was forged with the intent to deceive, harming Freshborn Industries Nigeria Limited and its representatives, Anene Ikenna and Anene Chinyere Angela.
The Prosecutor further maintained that the offence is punishable under Section 1(2)(c) of the Miscellaneous Offences Act.
The defendant, Arah pleaded not guilty to the charge.
Her defence counsel requested the court to grant her bail, as she had previously been on administrative bail and had attended court proceedings diligently.
Justice Osiagor granted her bail in the sum of N5 million with one surety in like sum.
The Prosecutor did not opposed the bail
Recall that the case was earlier delayed because the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) was reviewing the case file after a petition from First Bank.
The DPP’s advice is contained in a letter dated January 26, 2026.
The DPP in the letter advised the police to review the case under the Administration of Criminal Justice Act.
First Bank had petitioned the Attorney-General(AG) stating that the dispute involved a $400,000 credit facility to Freshborn Industries Limited, which is also pending in a civil suit before the Lagos State High Court.
The bank had contended that the criminal charges originated from a commercial dispute and warned that this could constitute an abuse of the legal process.
The Trial Judge adjourned the trial for July 14 and 15, 2026.
courtesy Business Insider
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