Police releases report on alleged bank forgery

Andrew Orolua, Abuja

The summary report of investigations carried out by the police Inspector General Intelligence Response Unit Team (IGP-IRT) into a case of forgery and threat to life reported by Whiteplains British School Abuja, against First Bank Plc has been released.

The report was submitted to the Chairman, House Committee on Public Petitions Rep. Uzoma Nkem-Abonta following a petition to the House of Representatives by the proprietor of Whiteplains British School.

Proprietor of the school, Dr. Francis Chukwuma Nwufor disclosed this to newsmen at a press conference on Sunday.

A copy of the summary report dated April 1, 2019, cited by journalists which was endorsed by DCP Abba Kyari, IGP-IRT, Force headquarters Abuja, indicated that the petitioner had alleged that in 2014, he obtained a loan facility from First Bank to complete the construction of his school, Whiteplains British School.

The police noted that along the line, they had issues which resulted in a court case, and there was a judgement on how to manage the school, but the bank disobeyed the court order and erected a wall blocking all the gates and entrances leading to the school, thereby denying teachers and pupils access to the school.

The police found out that there was a tripartite agreement which was signed by Dr. Francis Nwufor, his wife Mrs. Doris Nwufor, two directors of one France Lee Nigeria Limited, Mrs. Frances Ibe and Mr. Emeka Ibe, unnamed director and secretary of First Bank Plc, one Mr. Dibiaezue Chuks, who registered the tripartite agreement and one Mr. Muftau Ande, who prepared it.

According to the report, Dr. Francis Nwufor and the said directors of France Lee, whom he purchased the land from, all debunked any claim of them signing any tripartite agreement.

The police noted an affidavit deposed to by France Lee for the registration of the said agreement, which was filed by Lagadera and Company, a law firm owned by Dibiaezue and notarized by Mr. Godwin Imakhai.

However, Mrs. Frances Ibe, stated that she never authorized any such action and does not know or have had any encounter with either Imakhai nor Dibiaezue and has never in any way commissioned Lagadera and Company to do any job for either her or their company.

The report showed that Dibiaezue, owner of Lagadera, confessed that he did not know and never met the directors of France Lee, neither did they commission him to do any job for them.

He admitted being an external solicitor to First Bank, adding that he filed for change of signatures at the CAC on the instructions of the bank.

Dibiaezue told the police that on August 27, 2013, First Bank commissioned him in writing form to register a deed of tripartite mortgage agreement between Whiteplains British School and First Bank.

The report also showed that in the process of trying to register the agreement, Dibiaezue went ahead to file a forged document with Lagadera letterhead, claiming that he was verbally authorized by First Bank to file for the signatures.

Meanwhile, having evaded questioning, on August 14, 2018, police said it sent another invitation on August 28 to the Business Manager of First Bank, Utako branch to report to the IGP-IRT office on August 31, 2018 for clarification and to provide the unnamed director and secretary of First Bank who signed the agreement.

“But unfortunately, on that date, First Bank sent a correspondence asking that the meeting be rescheduled to September 14 2018.

“On September 3, 2018, a signal was sent from the office of the AIG Legal, mandating the Deputy Commissioner of Police, IGP-IRT to transfer the case to his unit for harmonization.

“On the 20th of September, the case was officially transfered to the AIG Legal as directed,” the summary report stated.