ICPC Exposes Margaret Igbeta, Nigerian Judge Who Opened N870 Million Bank Account In Maid’s Name

The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has exposed an alleged fraudulent act of a retired President of the Benue State Customary Court of Appeal, Mrs. Margaret Igbeta, who is accused of opening Eco Bank account that has over N870 million with the name of her maid, Theodora Atsu.

The ICPC filed a motion at the Federal High Court in Abuja, for the interim forfeiture of the N870 million traced to the former judge, which the anti-graft agency claimed were obtained fraudulently in the course of her official duties.

According to ICPC, Igbeta operated a proxy fixed deposit account in the name of her maid, Theodora Atsu, with Ecobank Plc, where she accumulated N870,321,492.15 between 2008 and 2019.

She was said to have opened the account with her passport and the name of Atsu on the 5 March 2008, with an initial deposit of N8 million.

She subsequently made several other deposits including N123,745, 925.57 and N5 million, in the months of March and May 2008.

The ICPC also noted that the money was far above her legitimate earnings both as a judge and the president of the customary court of appeal within the period that the account was operated.