The Enugu Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has secured the conviction and sentencing of two former bankers, Sani Endurance Aferokhe and Hillary Odo, for the criminal diversion of N10.3 million belonging to pensioner-customers.
The convicts were found guilty by Justice A. O. Onovo of the Enugu State High Court sitting at Independence Layout, Enugu. They were arraigned on January 18, 2016, on a 15-count charge bordering on conspiracy, forgery and stealing.
According to the charges, Aferokhe and Odo, while serving as staff of Intercontinental Bank Plc (now Access Bank Plc), unlawfully accessed and diverted funds from customers’ accounts. One of the counts detailed that on November 21, 2012, at Nsukka, the defendants stole N4.44 million from the account of a customer, Udekwu F. A. O. Another count stated that on October 12, 2012, they similarly diverted N2.11 million from the account of another customer, Onuora George.
The offences were said to be contrary to Section 459(a) of the Criminal Code Law, Cap 30, Laws of Enugu State, 2004. The defendants pleaded not guilty, leading to a full trial.
During the proceedings, the EFCC, through its counsel, Assistant Commander of the Commission, ACE II Michael Ikechukwu Ani, called five witnesses and tendered several documentary exhibits in support of its case.
In his judgment delivered on Friday, December 22, 2025, Justice Onovo dismissed counts six and nine. The court convicted the second defendant, Odo, on counts four and seven, sentencing him to five years’ imprisonment on each count, with an option of a N100,000 fine per count. Aferokhe, the first defendant, was convicted on counts one, two, three, five, eight, ten, eleven, twelve, thirteen, fourteen and fifteen, and sentenced to five years’ imprisonment on each count, except count fifteen, which attracted a three-year jail term, all with an option of a N100,000 fine per count.
The court held that the former Access Bank staff conspired to unlawfully reactivate three dormant accounts belonging to pensioners without their consent and diverted the funds for personal use.
