EFCC Arraigns Bank Manager, Two Others over N55m Fraud in Benue

Kingsley Nwezeh in Abuja

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arraigned one Kichime Gomwalk, a branch manager of First City Monument Bank (FCMB), Michael Damkas Buayam of Tan Global Energy Limited, and Abbas Andrew Dayilim of Castlegate International Limited before Justice P. S. Gang of the Plateau State High Court sitting in Jos on a five-count charge bordering on stealing, cheating and obtaining by false pretense to the tune of N55 million.

A statement issued by the spokesman of EFCC, Wilson Uwujaren, said Kichime Gomwalk, while serving as branch Manager, FCMB Plc, Murtala Mohammed Way Jos, in Plateau State, was alleged to have forged Cocin Gratuity Certificate of Pledge/Letter of  Set-off dated 30th December, 2019, purportedly co-signed by Mrs. Monica Bitrus Tang and Rev Amos Musa Mohzo, Directors, which he used to secure overdraft facility from FCMB Plc to the tune of N55, 000.000.00 with COCIN Gratuity account N0. 100GOMWALK379 domiciled with FCMB Plc

Count one of the charges read: “That you, Kichime Gomwalk, Michael Damkas Buayam of Tan Global Energy Limited, and you Abbas Andrew Dayilim of Castlegate International Limited, sometime in December, 2019 at Jos, in Plateau State within the jurisdiction of this Honorable Court did conspire among yourselves to commit an unlawful act to with: without Lawful authority engaged in the acquisition of N55,000.000.00  overdraft credit facility from FCMB Plc and thereby committed an offense of conspiracy contrary to section 59 (1) of the Plateau State Penal Code Law, (20017) and punishable under Section 59 (2) of the same Law.”

Count two read, “That you, Kichime Gomwalk, Michael Damkas Buayam of Tan Global Energy Limited, and you Abbas Andrew Dayilim of Castlegate International Limited, sometime in December 2019 in Plateau State within the jurisdiction of this Honorable Court fraudulently used Letter of Consent to engage in the acquisition of N55,000.000.00 overdraft credit facility from FCMB Plc knowing that at the time of acquisition of the said money, it was derived from unlawful activity and thereby committed an offence contrary to section 18 (a) of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission  (Establishment Act) 2004, and Punishable under section 18 (2) of the same Act.”

The defendants pleaded ‘not guilty’ when the charge was read to them. The prosecution counsel, Uwaise Yusuf urged the court to remand the defendants and fix a date for trial.