First Bank Nigeria Limited has reacted to an allegation of forgery leveled against its Managing director, and three others by the Federal Ministry of Justice on behalf of the proprietor of Whiteplain British School, Mr. Francis Chukwumah Nwufor.
The ministry alleged that the bank forged a “tripartite legal mortgage without the consent of the Whiteplain British School’s proprietor at the bank, including its MD, two lawyers, Muftau Ande and Dibiaezue Chuks, as well as its Utako Abuja Branch Manager.
The matter that is before an Abuja High Court has in its charge sheet; an allegation that the defendants disposed of Nwufor’s property using the alleged forged tripartite legal mortgage.
The plaintiffs’ account went viral on online platforms yesterday.
The statement by FirstBank made available to National Infinity reads:
Our attention has been drawn to a sponsored sensational report by some online publications on a charge brought against the Bank.
While we will not be able to offer further comments as the matter is sub-judice, suffice it to say that the basis of the charge is a spurious allegation made by a delinquent debtor with the intention of embarrassing the Bank and tainting the Bank’s loan recovery efforts and legal enforcement of its security collateral interest in accordance with the terms thereof.
We wish to assure our numerous customers, stakeholders and the general public that FirstBank operates by the highest standards of ethical conduct and will under no circumstances involve itself in any act of illegality just as it will take necessary legal steps to check any attempt by recalcitrant debtors to fritter away depositors’ funds under its custody. Furthermore, FirstBank remains focused on its mission of providing the best financial services to its numerous customers.
Reports went viral, yesterday, that the Federal Government has filed charges against First Bank of Nigeria Limited, its managing director and three others over allegations bordering on forgery.
The charge sheet, marked CR/266/2023 before the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, also includes two lawyers, Muftau Ande and Dibiaezue Chuks, as well as the Utako Branch Manager of First Bank, Abuja.
In the charge sheet filed by the Federal Ministry of Justice, the five defendants were accused, among other things, of forging a “tripartite legal mortgage without the consent of the proprietor of Whiteplain British School, Mr Francis Chukwumah Nwufor, with intent to commit fraud.”
The defendants were also accused of dishonestly dispossessing Nwufor of his property using the forged tripartite legal mortgage.
The prosecution claimed that the defendants had sometime in 2016, within the jurisdiction of the court, conspired to forge a tripartite legal mortgage without the consent of the proprietor of Whiteplain British School, Mr. Francis Chukwumah Nwufor, with the intent to commit fraud.
In the first count, the defendants were charged with forgery and criminal conspiracy contrary to sections 96 and 363 of the Penal Code.
Furthermore, the prosecution alleged that the defendants committed a criminal breach of trust contrary to Section 311 of the Penal Code and said they are liable to be punished under Section 312 of the same law.
In the third count, the defendants were accused of dishonestly dispossessing Nwufor of his property while being entrusted with the tripartite legal mortgage.
Justice Jude Onwuegbuzie adjourned till May 8 for arraignment after the prosecution lawyer, Ndidi Ezinwa-Ukoha, said all the defendants had yet to be served with the charge.
However, in its press statement, FirstBank described the situation as that of “a delinquent debtor” playing the victim.
