Following a National Crime Agency investigation, a former Director of Corporate Banking at First Bank of Nigeria, Adetunji Fadahunsi-Jones, has been arraigned for an alleged bribery offence in the United Kingdom.
Adetunji, 45, of Hertfordshire, oversaw the bank’s contact with a significant businessman in Nigeria’s oil, gas, and petroleum industry, who is also under investigation by the NCA.
Fadahunsi-Jones made his first appearance in Westminster Magistrates Court today (18 December).
The NCA believes he accepted bribes, including money and a vehicle, while working for FBN (UK), and in exchange ignored the account holder’s behaviour. This would have been a violation of his obligations and the company’s code of conduct, as well as a violation of Section 2 of the Bribery Act of 2010.
Andy Darmody, of the NCA’s International Corruption Unit, was quoted by the National Crime Agency as saying: “These charges should be a warning to all those working in the regulated sector that breaching your professional responsibilities has significant consequences. Recent charges for bribery and corruption announced by the NCA demonstrate that the UK is tackling this pervasive form of criminality head-on.
“We are grateful for the cooperation of the private sector, in particular for the First Bank of Nigeria’s support in investigating this case.”
Andy Young, from the Crown Prosecution Service, said: “Specialist economic crime lawyers in the CPS authorised a charge against Adetunji Fadahunsi-Jones related to bribery between 2011 and 2014. The role of the CPS is not to decide whether a person is guilty but to make fair, independent, and objective assessments about whether it is appropriate to present charges for a court to consider.
“It is extremely important that there be no reporting, commentary, or sharing of information online that could in any way prejudice these proceedings.”
