I am not a thief, Atuche tells court

Atuche, who was testifying before Justice Lateefat Okunnu of an Ikeja High Court at his trial, told the court that it was absurd to label him a thief.
Atuche and his wife, Elizabeth, are standing trial for allegedly stealing N25.7 billion belonging to Bank PHB (now Keystone Bank).
They were charged to court by the EFCC alongside a former Chief Financial Officer of the bank, Ugo Anyanwu. Led in evidence by his counsel, Mr Tayo Oyetibo, the former bank chief said he could not engage in theft because he was a devout Catholic.
“I am a Catholic; I cannot be a thief. I was baptised in the church and before I left primary school, I had started receiving Holy Communion which I do every day. I cannot receive Holy Communion when I am not in the state of grace. I cannot be a thief because God has been gracious to me,’’ he said. Atuche said he had never stolen anything in his life, adding that, this was attested to by the excellent testimonial issued to him by the various schools he attended.
He told the court that he joined United Bank for Africa (UBA) Plc, in Ibadan as a clerk on April 4,1982 and was promoted to the post of supervisor only after nine months.
However, his testimony was cut short as the court elected to adjourn further hearing in the case till July 7.
Earlier, a businessman, Chief Christian Imoka, also testified on behalf of the defendants in respect of the procedure used for granting of loans by the bank. Imoka, the Managing Director of Chris Edik International Ltd and Chris Edik Pharmaceuticals Ltd, said he was a customer of Bank PHB during the tenure of Atuche.
The witness admitted that he was granted several credit facilities by the bank in a faster process than other banks where he indicated the same interest. He said often times, he would regularise the transaction after the money had been disbursed, especially when he was outside the country. (NAN)