The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has re-arraigned Francis Atuche, the former Managing Director of the defunct Bank PHB Plc, on charges of forgery and conspiracy. Atuche was re-arraigned alongside Nnosiri Joachim, also known as Ifeanyi, and Uguru Onyike at the Special Offences Court in Ikeja, Lagos, on Monday before Justice O. O. Abike-Fadipe.
The EFCC accuses the defendants of forging board resolutions of several companies, including Future View Securities Limited, Extra Oil Limited, and Trajek Nigeria Limited, to defraud financial institutions. One of the charges reads: “That you, Mr. Francis Atuche, Nnosiri Joachim (a.k.a Ifeanyi), and Uguru Onyike, on or about 4th day of March 2013, in Lagos, within the Ikeja Judicial Division, with intent to defraud, conspired to commit felony to wit: forgery of a document titled: ‘BOARD RESOLUTION’ of Future View Securities Limited dated 17th December 2007.”
The EFCC alleged that Joachim fraudulently used a forged board resolution of Trajek Nigeria Limited dated December 15, 2007, presenting it as genuine to Keystone Bank Limited.
This case, which dates back to 2013, is being restarted as a de novo trial. The defendants pleaded not guilty to the nine-count charges and were granted continued bail by Justice Abike-Fadipe, based on the terms previously set by Justice Adeniyi Onigbanjo. The trial has been adjourned to May 6, 7, 8, 13, 20, and 27, 2025.
According to the EFCC, Atuche’s fresh legal troubles began when he allegedly instructed Nnosiri, an Office Assistant at Keystone Bank’s Central Sharing Services Centre, to deliver forged documents to the bank’s corporate headquarters for presentation in an ongoing case. These documents, which had reportedly been missing since October 2009, include board resolutions used to support financial transactions with Future View Securities Limited, Extra Oil Limited, and Trajek Nigeria Limited.
