Ecobank Staff Jailed for Cyber Fraud, Blames Wife’s Pregnancy for Crime

Justice Yellim Bogoro of the Federal High Court in Ikoyi, Lagos, on Monday sentenced a staff member of Ecobank Nigeria Plc, Solomon Stephen Ufayo, to one year in prison for committing cyber fraud involving ₦2.4 million.

Ufayo was arraigned on May 16, 2025, by the Lagos Zonal Directorate 2 of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on a one-count charge bordering on cybercrime.

According to court documents, between March 10 and 28, 2025, Ufayo, while working as a Relief Teller at Ecobank, impersonated a customer, Ogunfodunrin Omowunmi Ajoke, and manipulated her account by posting false deposits and withdrawals totaling ₦2,404,000.

The charge read:

“That you, Solomon Stephen Ufayo, between the 10th to the 28th day of March, 2025, in Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, while working for Ecobank Nigeria Limited as a Relief Teller, fraudulently represented yourself as Ogunfodunrin Omowunmi Ajoke by posting false Deposit and Withdrawal Tellers on her Ecobank account… with intent to gain advantage for yourself, thereby committing an offence under Section 22(2)(b)(i) of the Cybercrime Act, 2015.”

Ufayo pleaded guilty, and EFCC counsel, Abdulhamid L. Tukur, presented operative David Ngale Gajere to establish the facts.

Gajere told the court that Ufayo deposited fictitious funds into Ajoke’s account and then withdrew them using forged withdrawal slips. The total amount was funneled into Ufayo’s personal Opay account, without the customer’s knowledge.

During investigation, the convict confessed to the crime and returned the stolen funds via a bank draft.

In his plea for leniency, Ufayo blamed his action on financial pressure, citing his wife’s pregnancy and family challenges. He said he had learned his lesson and begged the court for mercy.

After reviewing the evidence and plea, Justice Bogoro sentenced Ufayo to one year in prison, with an option of a ₦500,000 fine, and ordered him to complete two weeks of community service.