Banniya Babatunde Anthony, an employee of First Bank PLC’s Marina Branch in Lagos State, has allegedly fled with millions of naira belonging to the bank.
Anthony had been hired through guarantor Mowobi Sunday, who vouched for Anthony’s integrity.
Following the ugly incident, the management of the bank arrested and charged the 47-year-old guarantor before Court for allegedly acknowledging the deed of recognizance for Anthony, who has gone into hiding.
According to the Police, Sunday became Anthony’s guarantor after he was asked to provide someone.
Anthony was employed after the interview but subsequently bolted away with the bank’s money and went into hiding.
When the bank’s management reported the matter to the Police, they summoned Sunday as the suspect’s guarantor to produce him since he entered into a deed of recognizance.
Sunday, on the other hand, told the Police that he does not know much about Anthony before he stood as his Guarantor.
Notwithstanding, the police found him guilty following interrogations and charged him before the Ogba Magistrates Court.
Sunday’s offense was a likely cause of breach of public peace by acknowledging false liability on Anthony under the Criminal Law of Lagos State.
Having pleaded not guilty, the prosecutor, DSP Kehinde Ajayi, then moved a motion asking the Court to give a date for a hearing to enable the Police to prove that he actually committed the alleged offence.
The Presiding Magistrate, Mrs E Juvenile granted him bail for fifty thousand naira (N50,000) with one surety in like sum, who must show evidence of means of livelihood.
The matter was adjourned till 16th May 2023, for mention, and the defendant was remanded in custody at the Correctional Centre at Kirikiri town, Lagos, pending when he will meet his bail conditions.
