A former banker with the United Bank for Africa Plc, Augustine Ekwerike is to spend seven years behind bars for offences bordering on obtaining N7million under false pretence. Ekwerike who was laid off by the Bank for financial misconduct, was on 4th July, 2012, convicted by the Federal High Court I, Port Harcourt and sentenced to seven years imprisonment on each of the 13 count charge preferred against him for conspiracy and obtaining under false pretence. Justice Akanbi also ordered the convict to pay the sum of N7, 000,000 (Seven Million Naira only) as restitution to the complainant, Mr. Dare Ukonga. The sentence is to run concurrently.

The convict connived with one Prince Osinachi Nwachukwu (who is still at large) to defraud Ukonga under the guise that he was a car dealer and was going to get him the Mercedes Benz GL 450 SUV, 2008 model that he ordered for.

Wilson Uwujaren
Ag. Head, Media & Publicity
6th July, 2012.