By Chidi Nkwopara

OWERRI—An Imo State High Court, Owerri, has started hearing the suit involving  the mysterious disappearance of a $10,000 cheque lodged by one Sam Ononuju in an account he operates  with Diamond Bank.

The plaintiff’s counsel, Mr. Don Oweregbulam, had told the court that his client lodged a $10,000 cheque in his domiciliary account with the bank’s branch in Owerri, on 12 July 2007, for the procurement and supply of computer sets.

According to him, the cheque  was cleared and his client withdrew $4,000, leaving  a balance of $6,000, adding that a few days later, he was informed that the cheque had been returned.

According to Oweregbulam, the drawer of the cheque who is based in the United States of America, asked his client to represent the cheque, but the defendant claimed that the cheque was cleared through another bank, Nigerian International Bank Limited.

“My client has been unable to access the balance of $6,000 still outstanding in his domiciliary account as a result of the defendant’s failure to give the cash value of the foreign cheque.”

He said  that the bank was under obligation to return the original cheque to his client if it was returned as claimed by the defendant.