The Enugu State High Court on Friday sentenced two former bankers, Sani Aferokhe and Hillary Odo, to a combined 12-year prison term for illegally diverting N10.3 million belonging to pensioners.

The duo was convicted on a 15-count charge involving conspiracy, forgery, and theft.

According to a statement released on Wednesday by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on its official X (formerly Twitter) handle, the conviction was secured by the Enugu Zonal Directorate before Justice A. O. Onovo.

The EFCC said the convicts were former employees of Intercontinental Bank Plc, now Access Bank Plc. They were arraigned on January 18, 2016, on charges of conspiracy, forgery, and stealing, contrary to Section 459(a) of the Criminal Code Law, Cap 30, Laws of Enugu State, 2004.

One of the charges stated that on November 21, 2012, in Nsukka, the defendants stole N4.4 million from a customer’s account while serving at Intercontinental Bank. Another charge alleged that on October 12, 2012, they stole N2.1 million from another customer account, also in Nsukka.

Justice Onovo dismissed counts six and nine but found the defendants guilty on several other counts. Hillary Odo was convicted on counts four and seven and sentenced to five years’ imprisonment on each, with an option of a N100,000 fine per count.

Sani Aferokhe was convicted on 11 counts and sentenced to five years on each, except for count 15, which carried a three-year jail term, all with an option of a N100,000 fine per count.

The EFCC stated that the convictions demonstrate its commitment to protecting vulnerable citizens, especially pensioners, from financial exploitation, and send a strong warning to bank officials who abuse their positions of trust for personal gain.