Skye Bank Chairman Tunde Ayeni Took N17.5bn Cash in One Year

• Skye Bank Chairman Tunde Ayeni Took N17.5bn Cash in One Year

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has accused, Mr Tunde Ayeni, the chairman of the defunct Skye Bank (now Polaris Bank) of taking N17.5 billion cash from the bank between January 1 and December 31, 2014.

The commission also alleged that Ayeni received N3.75 billion from the same account in 2015.

The allegations are part of the ten charges filed against the chairman and three other people before a Federal High Court in Abuja.

One of the charges read, “That you, Tunde Ayeni, whilst being the Chairman, Board of Directors of the defunct Skye Bank Plc between January 1, 2014 and December 31, 2014, at Abuja within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, did accept cash payment of the aggregate sum N17,415,080,000.00, taken from the defunct Skye Bank suspense account and delivered to you by the employee of the defunct Skye Bank, which money you reasonably ought to have known forms part of the proceeds of an unlawful act, to wit, fraud and thereby committed an offence contrary and punishable under Sections 15(2)(b) and (3) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 (as amended).”

This suit is separate from the N4.75 billion and $5 million fraud charge Ayeni and a former Managing Director of the Bank, Timothy Oguntayo, are facing before Justice Nnamdi Dimgba of a Federal High Court.

The EFCC listed nine witnesses against Ayeni and others.

They include four employees of the bank, officials of the EFCC and representatives of the FCMB.