Like every new year it started with high hopes and energy. I had so many goals I wanted to achieve and was overly optimistic about the future and how good the year was going to be.
I had just got married right at the end of the year 2020 and was getting ready for an exquisite honeymoon with my wife in the western part of the country.
The very first month of the year 2021 and I was going to wine and dine with my beautiful wife. I couldn't have wished for a perfect start to a new year.
However, Two years prior to that, my life was a mess. I had lost my job after being framed for financial fraud by my most trusted colleague and subordinate at work.
It was the very first workday in January 2019.
We had all resumed work from the holidays and were full of energy to get the company running for the new year.
The horror of that faithful day started at the canteen when my credit card was declined when I tried paying for my lunch. I called my relationship officer for clarity and was told there was a Post No Debit instruct on my account, he promised to find out what was wrong and get back to me in 30minutes time. I thought probably or someway I had been a victim of cybercrime and my money siphoned from my account somehow. I paid for the lunch with the little cash I had on me.
Right upon reaching the office, I accessed my account online and I realized both my checking and savings balances were intact. I tried to transfer some funds onto my mobile money wallet but failed as well, the notification; "transaction failed" kept popping up. Right in that moment, i heard my phone ringing; it was a call from my relationship officer, finally i knew i was going to get some answers, just when i was about answering the call, a lady with two police officers entered my office.
I made the phone ring out and offered them a seat, but they weren't in the mood for any friendly chat. The lady introduced herself as a CID with EOCO. They have come to pick me up ,with a warrant, for questioning about some fraudulent financial transactions and funds transfer.
They asked me to clear my desk, provided a list of some documents and transactions they wanted from my end and asked the IT team to log me out of the company's system.
My executive assistant Justine helped with the files and documents they needed, the police officers cleared my computer into their car, my CEO came down and looked at me with great disappointment on his face.
All i knew was i was been sent away for financial fraud, but all the files and documents they requested were those of tasks i assigned to my subordinate to work on as part of his grooming process. Unfortunately for me that was the biggest mistake i had made in my leadership role