Guarantor lands in prison over banker’s escape with employer’s N2m

By Paul Iyoghojie

The Police at the Elere Division, Agege, Lagos, Southwest, Nigeria have arrested a businessman, Mowobi Sunday, 47, and charged him before the Ogba Magistrates’ Court, Ikeja, Lagos for allegedly standing as a guarantor for one Banniya Babajide to secure a job with the First Bank of Nigeria, FBN who later stole the sum of N2m belonging to the bank and fled.

Police alleged that trouble started for the defendant when he volunteered to stand as a guarantor for the fleeing banker to secure a job with the bank in 2019.

Police further alleged that after working for four years, the fleeing banker in 2023 stole his employer’s N2m and escaped.

Following the development, the complainant contacted the defendant to produce the fleeing banker he stood as a guarantor for to secure the job.

When the guarantor could not produce the fleeing banker, the bank through the head of the Forensic Auditor of the internal Audit department, Mr Akhanolu Solomon reported the matter to the Divisional Police Officer, DPO in charge of Elere Division, Agege, Lagos who swiftly directed his crack team led by Inspector Olubumi Sunday to fish out the guarantor.

The Police arrested him at a hideout and charged him before the Ogba Magistrates’ Court on a one-count charge of false liability.

Police Prosecuting Counsel, DSP Ajayi Kehinde told the Court in the charge Marked MK/C/18/2023 that the defendant committed the offence on 23 November, 2019 at First Bank of Nigeria Headquarters, Marina, Lagos Island, Lagos.

Kehinde informed the Court that the defendant stood as a guarantor for the fleeing banker to secure a job with the First Bank with the promise to be liable for the Banker’s actions or inactions with the bank.

He said that when the guarantor was directed to produce the banker he stood as a guarantor for, he could not produce the banker leading to his arrest.

Kehinde said the offence, the defendant committed was punishable under session 381 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.

The defendant, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge and Chief Magistrate, E.Kubainje granted him N50,000 bail with one surety in like sum.

Kubeinje adjourned the case till 16 May 2023 for mention and ordered that the defendant be detained at the Ikoyi correctional facility till he perfected the bail conditions.