By Innocent Anaba
LAGOS — Three  former bank chiefs, standing trial alongside former Managing Director of Union Bank, Dr Bartholomew Ebong, Wednesday, asked a Federal High Court sitting in Lagos,  to quash  the charge against them by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.

The accused, former Managing Director of Union Trustees Limited, a subsidiary of Union Bank Plc, Henry Onyemem; Mr Niyi Opeodu and Samuel Ayininuola, in their separate applications, argued that the prosecution had failed to establish a prima facie case against them.

Onyemem in his  preliminary objection to the charge, asked the court to discharge and acquit him of the four-count charge linked to him  in the 20-count charge against them.

They accused were alleged to have granted various credit facilities to the tune of N30 billion to Falcon Securities with no security, an offence, contrary to section 19(4) of the Failed banks (Recovery of Debts) and Financial Malpractices Act, Cap F2, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004 and punishable under Section 16 of the same Act.

Onyemem and the other two accused urged the court to quash the amended charge on the ground that the proof of evidence and the additional proof of evidence attached to the amended charge disclose no prima facie case against him.

According to him, the counts against him are incompetent, same being incurable bad, defective and speculative and do not disclose any offence known to law for which he should be tried