The Lagos Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has re-arraigned Francis Atuche, the former Managing Director of the defunct Bank PHB Plc, alongside two others, on a nine-count charge of conspiracy and forgery.
The arraignment took place on Monday, December 16, 2024, before Justice O.O. Abike-Fadipe of the Special Offences Court, Ikeja, Lagos.
The co-defendants, Nnosiri Joachim, also known as Ifeanyi, and Uguru Onyike, were initially arraigned before Justice Habeeb Abiru, who has since been elevated to the Court of Appeal.
The case was later transferred to Justice Adeniyi Onigbanjo, now reassigned to another Lagos High Court division, prompting the trial to commence afresh.
One of the charges alleged that on March 4, 2013, within the Ikeja Judicial Division, Atuche and his co-defendants forged a document titled "Board Resolution" of Future View Securities Limited, dated December 17, 2007, with intent to defraud.
Another charge accused Joachim of knowingly using a forged document titled "Board Resolution of Trajek Nigeria Limited," purportedly signed by Elizabeth Ebi, a director of the company, and presenting it to Keystone Bank Limited as genuine.
All defendants pleaded not guilty to the charges. Prosecution counsel, Fanen Anum, informed the court of the de novo status of the case and requested trial dates.
Defense counsel for Atuche, Anthony Ejere, appealed to the court to allow his client to remain on the bail earlier granted in a separate matter.
Similarly, Clement Onwuenwunor, SAN, representing Joachim and Onyike, sought continuation of the bail terms granted by Justice Onigbanjo.
Justice Abike-Fadipe upheld the requests, allowing the defendants to retain their previous bail conditions. The trial is scheduled to commence on May 6, 7, 8, 13, 20, and 27, 2025.
Atuche’s legal troubles escalated following allegations that he directed Nnosiri, an Office Assistant at Keystone Bank, to deliver forged documents to the bank's headquarters for presentation in an ongoing EFCC case.
The documents, which included board resolutions of Future View Securities Limited, Extra Oil Limited, and Trajek Nigeria Limited, had reportedly gone missing since October 2009.
