ENUGU, NIGERIA – Justice has finally caught up with two former bankers who specialized in emptying the accounts of the vulnerable. On Friday, December 22, 2025, Justice A. O. Onovo of the Enugu State High Court sentenced Sani Endurance Aferokhe and Hillary Odo for the criminal diversion of ₦10,381,607.40.
The Crime: Targeting the Dormant
The convicts, who were staff of the then-Intercontinental Bank (now Access Bank Plc) in Nsukka, carried out the fraud in late 2012. Their “modus operandi” involved identifying three dormant accounts belonging to elderly pensioners and reactivating them without the owners’ consent.
Court documents revealed specific thefts, including:
- ₦4,440,000 from the account of Udekwu F. A. O.
- ₦2,113,610.40 from the account of Onuora George.
The 9-Year Trial
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) first arraigned the duo on January 18, 2016. Despite pleading “not guilty,” the EFCC prosecution team, led by Michael Ikechukwu Ani, presented five witnesses and a mountain of documentary evidence that tracked the illegal flow of funds.
The Verdict
After nearly a decade in court, Justice Onovo delivered a crushing judgment:
- Sani Aferokhe (1st Defendant): Convicted on 11 counts. Sentenced to five years on each count, with the exception of count 15, which carried a three-year sentence.
- Hillary Odo (2nd Defendant): Convicted on 2 counts. Sentenced to five years on each count.
- The Option: The court provided an option of a ₦100,000 fine for each count.
The sentences are to run concurrently, bringing a definitive end to a case that has spanned three different presidential administrations and highlighted the persistent threat of insider fraud in the banking sector.
