Secret Reporters No place to hide
In what may look like an orchestrated suicide of a banker who allegedly stole N1.2 million from Ecobank, Ladipo branch; detailed analysis emerging reveals that Ecobank and the Nigerian Police are the brain behind the death of banker Tunde Oke.
Tuned Oke who worked with Ecobank was picked up by the police from divisional headquarters at Ikoyi on 18th February, 2014 through the efforts of his bank management on the allegation that N1.2 million was missing from the bank through the operating system allocated to him. He was taken to the station where he was thoroughly beaten and tortured to confess to a crime he never agreed to, stating that the error of fraud must have come from the person who used his computer system to post the money.
As a punitive measure, his account alongside his wife who worked with another branch of Ecobank was suspended, while he was asked to pay the money. He however managed to pay the sum of N600,000 before his arrest. Meanwhile before his arrest, calamity had befallen him on 16th February, as a fire incident occurred in his house when his generator exploded as he tried to add fuel, leaving him with serious burns in his hands and legs. He reportedly went to the office and told the manager of his inability to stay for the day duty, as he needed to go for medical treatment which was granted him.
While he was away for the treatment, a team of policemen were called by the bank to arrest his wife, on the allegation that Tunde had absconded. A tip off from some bankers to the wife notified her of the arrest, which prompted her to call her husband to intervene. Tunde we gathered immediately left the hospital to his bank, from where he was picked and whisked away for three days. Efforts to get him out through bail was frustrated by the police who insisted that his lawyer make payment of N1 million, based on directive from Ecobank to secure his release, a clause which the lawyer resisted, insisting that bail is free.
As the bail argument lingered, the police increased it to N2.4 million, but the lawyer reminded them that his client has only N600,000 more to pay the bank. Pained by the pains their in-law was going through, Tunde mother In-law and brother visited the police station, but they were asked by the police to bring money. They went to the ATM to withdraw substantial amount of money, but surprisingly met an ambulance on their way back, and on peeping into it; they saw Tunde’s cloth soaked in a pool of blood, with his mouth foaming, confirming him dead mysteriously.
A coke bottle cover was later found in his pocket and the police concluded that he must have drunk a poisonous coke. Sources who have spoken to us on this issue alleged that the police excess beating and torture must have led to Tunde’s death, as he was all alone with them.
Tunde is survived by two kids, a 2 years old boy and a 5 months girl ,his wife , whom Ecobank is threatening to sack should she demand justice for her husband’s death and an aged mother with siblings.
