Bank security guard breaks ATM, steals N12 million

A security guard at the First Bank Nigeria Plc, in Jibowu- Lagos has appeared before a magistrate’s court in Ebute Meta for breaking the company’s automated teller machine (ATM) and N12, 533,900.

Seyi Jaiyeola was arraigned on a five counts of fraud and stealing after the bank’s investigation of the missing cash led them to him.

According to reports, the bank’s branch Service Manager, Kayode Aiyewunmi, said the company had observed that one of the bank’s four ATMs was having a reconciliation problem and had employed the service of an expert to help unravel mysterious disappearances of money.

“We discovered that there was always a shortage of cash in the machine,” Aiyewunmi told the court.

“Despite our reconciliation efforts, the ATM was still having problems and we engaged the service of an expert who submitted his report and said the machine did not have any reconciliation issue.

“He said somebody was breaking into the machine in the middle of the night to steal the cash.

“I reported the matter to my boss, who said I should conduct an investigation into  the matter. “When the last breakage happened, we went to play back the branch’s CCTV, and we now saw Jaiyeola in the middle of the night, opening the window at the back of my office. There’s a control panel which controls the security door, which he touched. So, the CCTV stopped.”

He said that was when the company concluded he was the brain behind the theft.

 Punch reports:

Aiyewunmi who gave evidence in court, said Jaiyeola was on a N20, 000 monthly pay and was a member of the Odua People’s Congress.

He said after the matter was reported at the Onipanu Police station, and the accused was arrested, he led them to his house, where he allegedly confessed to the crime.

Aiyewunmi said, “When we got to his house for a search, we recovered N243,945 cash. The police then asked him what else he did with the money. He said he bought a car, which was parked at the house there, a Toyota Corolla. Then we recovered a new generator. He also took the police to the building he was constructing which was near completion.” He said after recovering the item, First Bank transferred the matter to the State Criminal Investigation Department, Yaba.

The prosecution counsel, Mr. Ishola Samuel, asked for an adjournment to help source some  legal citations. Jaiyeola was subsequently granted bail in the sum of N1m with two sureties in like sum.

The magistrate, Mrs. M.O Tanimola, adjourned the matter till July 15.