Customer sues bankers for allegedly using her account to steal N33m
A Kaduna State High Court in Zaria, on Friday, adjourned till July 30 the suit instituted against two officials of a commercial bank over alleged use of a customer’s bank account to steal N33m from the bank.
The News Agency of Nigeria reported that the case is between Patience Sa’idu-Samuel against ex-bank manager, Zaria branch, Ladidi Maimuna-Beiki and the Managing Director of the bank.
The suit was instituted by Sa’idu-Samuel through a direct complaint by her counsel, Umar Sama’ila, in line with the High Court Civil Procedure Rule of Kaduna State, 2007.
Mentioning the case on Friday, Justice Munir Ladan adjourned the case to June 30 to allow the defendants to prepare for the case.
The judge told counsel to the defendants, Yusuf Ajibola, to “put his house in order before the adjourned date.”
Counsel to the plaintiff had earlier said they were in court to claim damages for the stress and harassment his client went through over the issue.
He told the court that they have served the defendants with all the necessary notices, and asked the court not to allow counsel to the defendants to drag the case backward.
Sama’ ila later told newsmen outside the court premises that his client was asking for N36.6m damages against the bank for the stressful life and harassment she went through since the beginning of the problem.
“The former manager of the bank, Zaria branch, had used the account of my client to withdraw certain amount of money without the consent of the owner to the tune of N33m.
“So, in view of that, the bank went after my client that she had to pay the money. Thereafter, after certain procedures by the plaintiff, the bank paid up the money.
“In view of that, the plaintiff felt that she has been cheated and made to suffer a lot and filed an action against the bank.
“Our prayer is justice to prevail on the defendants to pay us damages of N36.6m,” he said.
On his side, Ajibola, counsel to the defendants, declined comment, saying that once a matter is before the court, there was no need to speak to the press.
(NAN)
