Anti-graft agency, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Benin zonal office, on Wednesday arraigned a former staff of First Bank of Nigeria Plc, Philip Orumade for stealing N18, 903,000 from an ATM at Aduwawa branch of the bank.
Orumade was arraigned on a nine counts charge of stealing before Justice Efe Ikponmwonba of the Edo State High Court, Benin City.
Part of the charge was that Orumade, sometime in November 2019 while working as a banker in charge of Automated Teller Machine, stole a cumulative sum of N18, 903,000 from the machine at Aduwawa branch, property of First Bank of Nigeria Plc.
The offense, according to the charge, was contrary to Section 383 of Bendel State Criminal Code Law (as applicable to Edo State) and punishable under Section 390(7) of the same Law.
The defendant pleaded not guilty to the charge when it was read to him.
Consequently, the prosecution counsel, Ibrahim Mohammed, urged the court to fix a date for trial.
But the defence counsel, Martha Imafu informed the court of a pending motion for bail and prayed the court to grant the accused bail since the offence was bailabĺe.
Justice Ikponwonba granted the accused bail in the sum of N500,000 with one surety in like sum. The court held that the surety should be resident within the jurisdiction of the court.
The case was adjourned until January 27, 2021 for commencement of trial.