By Mohamed Foday Conteh
Marvin Onyedikachi Obinna, a Zenith bank staff, has for the second time been sent on remand by Magistrate Sahr Kekura of Pademba Road Magistrate Court over corruption allegations.
Obinna together with one Hassan Morie Yajah made their second appearance in court on Thursday 19th August 2021 for preliminary investigations.
According to the particulars of offence, Obinna together with Yajah, from March 2021 to 13th July 2021, while working as a marketing staff of Zenith bank conspired with other unknown persons to commit a felony. Both accused were charged with three counts for conspiracy, larceny by servant and larceny all contrary to laws of the State.
According to an abstract report by the Criminal Investigations Department (CID), it was one Prince Ameh and Louis Turay that brought both accused persons after the bank’s audit unit identified elements of malfeasance. It is said that Obinna while working as marketing officer conspired with other unknown persons to transfer the sum of $ 37,000 (Thirty-seven thousand Dollars) and a further sum of 183 million Leones.
Count 2 only implicated the second accused, Yajah of stealing the sum of Le 50,000,000 (fifty million Leones) property of the said bank.
The prosecution led in their first witness identified as Louis Turay, an Internal Control and Audit Officer. He told the court that part of his duties are to investigate loan frauds and complaints from customers. He added that the first accused was a staff and marketer at the said bank’s Wellington branch. He also attested to knowing the complainant as a customer of the said bank with both Leones and Dollar accounts.
Turay said that between March and July 2021, they received complaints from a customer that the sum of $400 (four hundred United States dollars) was missing from his account. He said that they asked the customer to tailor his complaint in writing. The said complaint was however not presented in court.
Magistrate Kekura admonished the prosecution to ask for an adjournment for the said letter to be presented in court.
Defense lawyer for the first accused, Sylvanus Kanyako, applied for bail for his client. He canvassed the magistrate’s discretion on Section 79 (2&3) of the Criminal Procedure Act No. 32 of 1965. The magistrate, however, denied bail for all accused persons. The matter was adjourned for Wednesday 24th August 2021.
Copyright © 2021 Politico Online (20/08/21)
