The Lagos Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has re-arraigned Francis Atuche, the former Managing Director of the defunct Bank PHB Plc, on fresh charges.
According to a statement posted by the EFCC on its official Facebook page, Atuche is facing a nine-count charge of conspiracy to commit a felony and forgery.
He appeared before Justice O. O. Abike-Fadipe of the Special Offences Court in Ikeja, Lagos, for the re-arraignment.
Atuche, alongside Nnosiri Joachim, known as Ifeanyi and Uguru Onyike, was initially arraigned before Justice Habeeb Abiru, who has since been elevated to the Court of Appeal.
The case subsequently began afresh under Justice Adeniyi Onigbanjo, who has now been reassigned to another division of the Lagos High Court.
One of the counts reads: “That you, Mr. Francis Atuche, Nnosiri Joachim (a.k.a Ifeanyi) and Uguru Onyike, on or about 4th day of March, 2013, in Lagos, with the Ikeja Judicial Division, with intent to defraud conspired to commit felony to wit: forgery of a document titled: “BOARD RESOLUTION” of Future View Securities Limited dated 17th December, 2007.”
Another count reads: “ Nnosiri Joachim (a.k.a Ifeanyi), on or about 4th day of March, 2013 in Lagos, within the Ikeja Judicial Division, with intent to defraud, knowingly and fraudulently used a false document titled “Board Resolution of Trajek Nigeria Limited” dated 15th December 2007, which you purported to have been duly signed by one Elizabeth Ebi (a Director of Trajek Nigeria Limited) to Keystone Bank Limited as genuine.”
The defendants entered pleas of “not guilty” to the charges after they were read in court.
Following this, the prosecution counsel, Fanen Anum, informed the court that the case was starting de novo and requested a trial date.
Anthony Ejere, counsel for the first defendant, urged the court to allow his client—who had been convicted in a separate matter—to continue enjoying the bail previously granted by the court.
Similarly, Clement Onwuenwunor, counsel for the second and third defendants, prayed the court to allow his clients to retain the bail earlier granted by Justice Adeniyi Onigbanjo.
Justice Fadipe granted the prayers of the defense counsel, permitting the defendants to remain on the bail terms previously approved by Justice Onigbanjo.
The judge subsequently adjourned the case to May 6, 7, 8, 13, 20, and 27 of 2025, for the commencement of trial.
Atuche’s latest issues with the EFCC arose after he contacted Nnosiri, an Office Assistant at Keystone Bank’s Central Sharing Services Centre in Lagos, to deliver alleged forged documents to the bank’s corporate headquarters in Lagos.
The documents were intended for submission in court as exhibits in an ongoing case between Atuche and the Commission before Justice Lateefat Okunnu.
The forged documents, missing since October 2009, included the Board Resolutions of Future View Securities Limited, Extra Oil Limited, and Trajek Nigeria Limited.
