Nollywood actress Sarah Martins has issued a public apology to Zenith Bank Plc after investigations revealed that the ₦3 million fraud she initially blamed on the bank was carried out by a staff member she employed barely two weeks earlier.
In a detailed account shared on social media, the actress explained that the suspect, identified as Chike Emmanuel Osuagu, allegedly hacked into her Zenith Bank account and transferred ₦2 million on December 22 while she was in the kitchen with reality TV star Tacha. The suspect reportedly made another ₦1 million transfer days later, bringing the total stolen amount to ₦3 million.
According to Martins, the suspect also allegedly deleted debit alerts after carrying out the transactions, making it difficult for her to immediately trace the withdrawals. She described the accused as a “20-year-old boy who looked innocent” but later turned out to be a “hardened criminal.”
The actress disclosed that the suspect had persistently sent emails begging for a job opportunity and allegedly stole the first ₦2 million within his first seven days of employment. While she was still distressed over the initial loss, she claimed the suspect moved another ₦1 million while she was busy cooking for a charity project organized by Ratels.
Martins said the situation escalated after she publicly called out Zenith Bank over the suspected fraud. According to her, the suspect suddenly claimed to be ill and attempted to leave work. However, she insisted he remain until the charity cooking exercise was completed.
While she was still in the kitchen, Martins said Zenith Bank contacted her, asking if she knew an individual named Chike Emmanuel Osuagu. She alleged that at that moment, the suspect began sending her threatening messages using a scam application, warning her to stop the bank’s investigation or face kidnapping and death.
The actress stated that the suspect was eventually restrained, exposed, and made a video confession, admitting to transferring her money to an accomplice account. She credited divine intervention for preventing further harm and thanked Zenith Bank for uncovering the truth.
“I am deeply sorry to my account officer, Ijeoma, and the entire Zenith Bank team for not believing you when you said someone close to me used my phone,” Martins wrote. She added that the incident has changed her outlook on helping others, stating that she would no longer take chances regardless of emotional appeals.
Zenith Bank has yet to issue an official public statement on the matter, but the development has sparked conversations online about internal security, trust, and digital banking safety, as well as the risks associated with granting device access to close associates or employees.
