The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), on Friday, arraigned the duo of Halima Buba and Innocent Mbagwu before Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court, Abuja for alleged fraud.
According to a statement by the EFCC, the defendants, who are Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of SunTrust Bank Ltd and Executive Director/Chief Compliance Officer of SunTrust Bank Ltd, respectively are being prosecuted on a six-count charge, bordering on money laundering to the tune of $12 million (Twelve Million Dollars).
Count two of the charge reads: “That you, HALIMA BUBA, Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer SunTrust Bank Ltd, and INNOCENT MBAGWU being the Executive Director /Chief Compliance Officer SunTrust Bank Ltd on the 10th day of March, 2025 in Abuja within the jurisdiction of the Honourable Court aided Femi Gbamgboye to make a cash payment of the sum of Three Million United States Dollars ($3,000,000) to Suleiman Muhammed Chiroma and associates without going through a financial institution and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 2l(a), 2(1), 19(l)(d) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022 and punishable under Section 19 (2) (b) of the same Act.”
Count three reads: “That you, HALIMA BUBA, the Managing Director/ChiefExecutive Officer of SunTrust Bank Ltd and INNOCENT MBAGWU, the Executive Director/Chief Compliance Officer of SunTrust Bank Ltd on the 13th day of March, 2025 in Lagos within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court conspired amongst yourselves to make a cash payment of the sum of Three Million United States Dollars ($3,000,000) to Mukhtar Miko an associate of Suleiman Muhammed Chiroma without going through a financial institution and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 2l(a), 2( 1 ), 19(1 )( d) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022 and punishable under Section 19 (2) (b) of the same Act.”
They pleaded “not guilty” to all the charges when they read to them, following which the lead prosecution counsel, Rotimi Oyedepo, SAN, announced the readiness of the prosecution to proceed with the trial and prayed for accelerated hearing of the case.
The defence counsel, J.J. Usman, SAN, on his part, reminded the court of subsisting bail applications of the defendants, dated May 27, 2025 and prayed that the court should uphold the applications and admit the defendants to bail.
The prosecution counsel in his response, described the May 27, 2025 bail application of the defendants as incompetent, given that the defendants were neither under arrest, nor in detention, nor have appeared before the court, being the grounds provided by the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, ACJA that should precipitate a bail application, but rather applied for bail from the comfort of their homes or offices when nor action has been taken against them.
He therefore prayed the court to discountenance the said bail application and urged the defendants to make fresh bail applications in court.
