Nigeria Content Online

The
assets recovered from Cecilia Ibru, the former chief executive officer
of Oceanic Bank, one of the banks found insolvent after the Central
Bank’s special audit last year, would help in refunding the bailout
funds injected into the bank by the CBN and help recapitalise the bank,
the Central Bank said at the weekend.

Mrs.
Ibru was last Friday convicted and sentenced to six months imprisonment
on a three-count charge of negligence, reckless grants of facilities
running into billions of dollars, and mismanagement of depository funds
by a Federal High Court sitting in Lagos. She is also to forfeit assets
and shares, contained in a schedule submitted to the court, worth N191
billion.

The
head, corporate affairs department of the bank, Mohammed Abdullahi,
also said the Asset Management Company would help manage the recovered
assets.

“As
you know, by the order of the court, the assets confiscated from Mrs.
Ibru will be transfered to and managed by the Asset Management
Corporation (AMCON) who will take the necessary steps,” Mr. Abdullahi
said.

“The
role of the AMCON is to assist in the recapitalication of the banks by
absorbing some of the toxic assets found to have been responsible for
the problems faced by the banks we had to intervene in,” he added.

Mr.
Abdullahi said the decision of the court regarding the transfer of the
assets to AMCON is clear. He said proceeds from whatever assets AMCON
would get “will now form part of the funds that are expected to be
refunded by the bank to the Central Bank, speaking specifically on the
N100 billion that was injected into the bank by the Central Bank last
year. We also believe that the assets should also assist in the
recapitalisation of the bank, to survive its present challenges.”

According
to him, the Central Bank is pleased with the decision of the court and
believes it is a vindication of the examination results of the special
audit carried out by the Central Bank and the Nigeria Deposit Insurance
Corporation (NDIC).

“We
are very happy that this decision has taken place, and it is a pointer
regarding what to expect as the determination of the Central Bank to
cleanse the banking sector and ensure that corrupt practices are not
only prevented from happening, but that those found responsible are
made to face the law, rather than walk away freely with their loot,” he
said.

Outstanding court cases

The
Central Bank’s spokesperson said the outstanding court cases are being
vigorously pursued by the EFCC, and a prosecution team has been set up
to handle the cases.

“Based
on the fact that the same examination conducted by the NDIC and the CBN
found similar infractions against those that are still in court, we are
hoping that the cases would take their due course and at the end of the
day, all the other MDs would face the music in the same way that Mrs.
Ibru is facing hers now, if they are found guilty,” he said.

Significance of the ruling

The
Central Bank said the significance of this decision on the ongoing
banking reforms is the vindication of the Central Bank and the NDIC.

“In
the process of these reforms, the Central Bank and its leadership have
been accused of regional, religious and even personal agenda, as
reasons for embarking on these reforms. This ruling has, therefore,
made a lie of all the allegations.

“I
also believe that it has given an impetus to the dedication of the
leadership of the Central Bank to ensure that depositors funds are
protected and all those who dipped their hands into funds given to them
on trust would never get away, but would face the music, no matter
their position in the society,” Mr. Abdullahi said.