A former Access Bank employee, Chinonso Akujobi, has been remanded at the Ikoyi Correctional Centre following her arraignment on a five-count charge related to the alleged theft of N294.5 million. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is prosecuting the case before Justice I.O. Ijelu at the State High Court in Ikeja, Lagos.
Details of the Alleged Crime
According to the EFCC, Akujobi committed the theft between January and December 2025 while she was employed by Access Bank Plc. The prosecution alleges that she siphoned the funds through unauthorized payments from the bank's general ledger into her personal account and other accounts. Specifically, the charges state that the money was transferred to account number 0036668871, held under the names Chinonso A., Uchechi A., and Florence A.
Legal Proceedings
During the arraignment on Thursday, July 9, 2026, the defendant pleaded “not guilty” to all charges. The prosecution counsel, S.M. Yabo, requested a trial date and urged the court to remand Akujobi in a correctional facility pending trial.
Justice Ijelu subsequently adjourned the case to October 8, 2026, for the hearing of the bail application and the commencement of trial. The judge also ordered that Akujobi be remanded at the Ikoyi Correctional Centre until then.
Legal Framework
The charges against Akujobi are brought under Section 280 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015, which defines stealing, and are punishable under Section 287 of the same law. The EFCC continues to investigate financial crimes within the banking sector, emphasizing the seriousness of such offenses.
