Standard Chartered Bank ‘Gave Lady Fake Euro Notes’. Now, She Risks Ending Up in Jail in France
Mary (not her real name) was accepted to the University of Burgundy in France in April 2021 to pursue a degree in international management and business studies. On August 17, 2021, she took out a €3,000 Personal Travel Allowances (PTA) withdrawal from the Standard Chartered Bank in Maitama, Abuja, to fund her journey.
The full cash was deposited in a French bank account controlled by her sister, Elizabeth Henry. On September 17, Mary discovered that two of the €3,000 bills she had placed were fakes, and that the bank had withdrawn €1,000 from Henry’s account.
“The Bank of France asked my sister to come and explain the source of the money,” Mary told FIJ. “And we know this is just the beginning of the case.”
Mary complained to Jumoke Jaiyeola, the head of Standard Chartered Bank’s Maitama branch, after hearing the news. Jaiyeola, on the other hand, shunned her.
Mary explained, “When I called the bank manager, she told me to do my worst.”
Following the incident, Henry predicted that living in France would be difficult for her sister.
“When they call me, I’ll say she’s the one who gave me the money. And it will affect her master’s degree programme and her visa,” she told FIJ. “As a student who has more than two years to study, she may not be given a chance to open a bank account.
Henry is also worried the matter might be handed over to the French police.
“Now that the Bank of France has flagged my account, I’m going to get into trouble,” she said. “By the time they complete their investigation, they will turn the matter over to the police and they will take it to court. From there, we don’t know what will happen.”
We simply want the bank to return the funds, as the girl does not have enough money to live in France. They must also accept responsibility for their actions. Because if she isn’t careful, she might end up in prison.”
On Saturday, FIJ dialed Jaiyeola’s number, but she hung up when our reporter identified himself. She subsequently refused to answer any additional calls, as well as an SMS sent to her phone.
