Two persons were weekend arraigned before a magistrate court in Benin, for allegedly defrauding 11 Reverend fathers of N42 million through their wonder bank business.
Mr Greg Okojie and Monday Ahunwa were said to have lured the Reverend Fathers to the Wonder Bank by paying high interest rate on their deposit.
The priests were said to have been introduced to the operation of the Wonder Bank by a branch manager of a new generation bank, Mr. Greg Okojie.
It was gathered that Father Fidelis Arhedo was first introduced to the Wonder Bank supposedly owned by Monday Ahunwan and deposited N13 million.
Father Arhedo was said to have introduced 10 other Reverend Fathers after he received ‘good interest’.
Other persons that fell to the alleged scam besides the Reverend Fathers are Onomen Oriakhi and Miss Theresa Oriakhi.
It was gathered that trouble started when the Wonder Bank could not pay accumulated interest on the entire N42 million collected from the Reverend Fathers that forced the victims to report the matter to the police.
However, Greg and Monday were arraigned before an Oredo Magistrate Court for conspiracy, obtaining money under false presence and stealing but they pleaded not guilty.
In the charge sheet, the accused persons were alleged to have collected the sum of N42m with the pretence of using it to do business and payback interest of 5 percent monthly.
The accused persons were earlier arraigned on a three-count charge but the Prosecutor, Inspector Agbonifo Patrick amended the charges to 13.
Presiding Magistrate, F.E Akhere granted bail to the accused persons in the sum of N200,000 and a surety in like sum and adjourned the case to the 4th of April, 2018 for hearing.
