Former Fidelity Bank staff jailed for 39 years for changing customer details, stealing N2.7 billion

Judge OO Abike-Fadipe of the Special Offenses Court sitting in Ikeja, Lagos, on Tuesday sentenced former Fidelity Bank staffer, Christopher Jackson Edeh, to a total of 39 years imprisonment for his involvement in the N2.7 billion fraud.

Charged by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Edeh, who was indicted on February 28, 2024, faces nine charges that include accounting fraud and unauthorized access to computer systems.

The indictment alleges that he changed the bank account details of several customers and government-linked entities, including Kano State Government Power Intervention Fund, NNPC Trading Limited, Stallion Vision Ltd, Lagos State Government Blue Line, State Contributors Pension Account and Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University, with intent to defraud.

One of the charges reads: “That you Christopher Jackson Edeh, sometime in September 2023 in Lagos within the jurisdiction of this Honorable Court, while employed at Fidelity Bank Plc, with intent to defraud, changed the account details of customers of Dangote Cement Plc held by Fidelity Bank.”

Another charge reads: “Christopher Jackson Edeh, sometime in September 2023 in Lagos within the jurisdiction of this Honorable Court with intent to facilitate the theft of the sum of N2,737,784,800.00 (Two Billion, Seven Hundred and Thirty Seven Million, Seven Hundred and Eighty Four Thousand, Eight Hundred Naira) deposited with Fidelity Bank Plc, secured unauthorized access to the Fidelity Bank Plc Entrust portal.”

Edeh had pleaded “not guilty” to the charges when they were read to him, setting the stage for the start of the trial. Judge Abike-Fadipe has scheduled the start of Edeh’s trial for May 30, 2024.

During the trial, Prosecutor ZB Atiku called three witnesses and submitted several evidentiary documents to strengthen the case against the defendant. The defense called one witness.

In his ruling, Judge Abike-Fadipe held that the prosecution had proven its case beyond reasonable doubt and consequently convicted Edeh on nine charges.

The court sentenced him to five years in prison without the option of a fine on each of counts one through seven, which nearly included false accounting fraud, and two years in prison without the option of a fine on each of counts eight and nine, relating to unauthorized access to a computer system with the intent to facilitate the commission of a crime.

The court ordered that all sentences be served concurrently, meaning Edeh will serve five years in prison.