A Federal High Court in Lagos has declared Mrs. Ebele Okpala, a banker with Keystone Bank, wanted over an alleged N35 million fraud.
Justice Deinde Dipeolu, who is handling the case, ordered her arrest and also directed the Department of State Security (DSS), Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS), and Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) to arrest her the moment she enters the country. Okpala is said to currently be outside Nigeria.
The judge gave the order while granting a motion ex-parte marked FHC/L/530C/2024, filed and moved by M. Bello on behalf of the Nigeria Police.
The motion listed Ebele Okpala and another banker, Perpetual Onyeto, as first and second defendants/respondents in the suit, while DSS, NIS, and NCS were listed as cited parties/respondents.
In urging the court to make the above orders, Bello, informed the court that the application was pursuant to several sections of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) 2015, and under the court’s inherent jurisdiction. Adding that the application was supported by an affidavit deposed to by Inspector Tope Akerele of the Force Criminal Investigation Department (FCID), Special Fraud Unit (SFU), Ikoyi, Lagos.
In granting the application, Justice Dipeolu held, “After considering the application and the supporting affidavit, the request had merit and granted all the reliefs sought by the prosecution.
“That an order is hereby made that the 1st defendant/despondent be declared wanted and placed on the wanted list of the Nigeria Police Special Fraud Unit, 13, Milverton Road, Ikoyi, Lagos until she is arrested.
“That an order is hereby made compelling cited parties/respondents to assist in apprehending 1st defendant/Respondent once he enters into the country.
“That an order is hereby made permitting the Publication of the name of the 1st defendant/despondent in the National Daily Newspapers and Social Media handles by the Nigeria Police Special Fraud Unity Ikoyi, Lagos for the purpose of fulfilling the requirement of the Order 1 above.”
Recall that both the wanted banker and the second defendant/respondent were previously arraigned before the court by the operatives of the police Special Fraud Unit, PSFU.
Specifically, the two bankers were arraigned before the court sometimes in September 2024, on alleged conspiracy, theft, money laundering, fraudulent lift of lien placed on bank’s customer’s account and obtaining the sum of N35 million by false presence.