Alleged N4.5bn Fraud: EFCC Arraigns Ex-Skye Bank Chairman, Tunde Ayeni

Alleged N4.5bn Fraud: EFCC Arraigns Ex-Skye Bank Chairman, Tunde Ayeni

EFCC, on March 6, 2019, arraigned Tunde Ayeni, a former Chairman,
Board of Directors, Skye Bank Plc, before Justice Valentine Ashi of a
Federal Capital Territory, FCT High Court, Apo on a four-count charge,
bordering on criminal breach of trust to the tune of N4,597,500,000.

Ayeni was arraigned along with Timothy Ajani Oguntayo, for allegedly
conspiring at different times to fraudulently divert depositors’ funds
domiciled at Skye Bank Plc to personal use.

One of the counts reads:

“That you, Tunde Ayeni, whilst being the Chairman, Board of Directors
of the defunct Skye Bank Plc and Timothy Ajani Oguntayo, while being
the Managing Director, MD of the defunct Skye Bank Plc on or about
October 16, 2014 at Abuja within the jurisdiction of this Honourable
Court, whilst being bankers entrusted with property, to wit: depositors’
funds in the defunct Skye Bank Plc’s Suspense Account, committed
criminal breach of trust in respect of the sum of N1,000,000,000 (One
Billion Naira) and thereby committed an offence contrary to and
punishable under Section 315 of the Penal Code.”

They pleaded “not guilty” to the charges. Counsel for the first
defendant, Dele Adesina, SAN, who held brief for the lead counsel, Wole
Olanipekun, SAN, informed the court of their pending bail application,
which was served on the prosecution on December 13, 2018.

Counsel for the second defendant, Oyetola Oshobi, SAN, also made similar application.

The trial judge, thereafter, admitted them to bail in the sum of N500
million (Five Hundred Million Naira) with two sureties each in like
sum, who must be resident in Abuja, and must own a landed property “of
sufficient value”, within Abuja metropolis.

The matter was thereafter adjourned to May 14, 2019, for “commencement of trial”.