A security man said to be a member of the Odua People’s Congress (OPC) and employee of First Bank Nigeria Plc, Jibowu Branch, Seyi Jaiyeola, is now standing trial for allegedly stealing N12, 533, 900 after breaking the company’s Automated Teller Machine (ATM).
The bank’s branch Service Manager, Kayode Aiyewunmi, gave evidence at Magistrate M.O Tanimola’s Court in Ebute-Meta, Lagos, saying Jaiyeola was on a paltry N20, 000 monthly pay.
According to him, First Bank engaged experts to help uncover the mystery surrounding sudden reconciliation problem that the ATM developed, leading to loss of huge sum.
“We discovered that there was always a shortage of cash in the machine. Despite our reconciliation efforts, the ATM was still having problems and we engaged the service of an expert who submitted his report and said the machine did not have any reconciliation issue.
“He said somebody was breaking into the machine in the middle of the night to steal the cash. I reported the matter to my boss, who said I should conduct an investigation into the matter.
“When the last breakage happened, we went to play back the branch’s CCTV, and we now saw Jaiyeola in the middle of the night, opening the window at the back of my office. There’s a control panel which controls the security door, which he touched. So, the CCTV stopped,” Aiyewumi explained.
The Service Manager went further that the matter was consequently reported at the Onipanu Police station, after which the accused was arrested and was said to have later confessed to the crime.
He said, “When we got to his house for a search, we recovered N243, 945 cash. The police then asked him what else he did with the money. He said he bought a car, which was parked at the house there, a Toyota Corolla. Then we recovered a new generator. He also took the police to the building he was constructing which was near completion.”
The accused, Jaiyeola is facing five-count charge of fraud and stealing. He was however, granted bail in the sum of N1m with two sureties in like sum. The case has been adjourned till July 15.
