Police Arraign 8 Men For Allegedly Hacking Into Firm’s Server To Steal N435. 3m
Men of Force Criminal Investigation Department ForceCID Annex Alagbon-Ikoyi, Lagos, have arraigned an eight-man fraud syndicate, before a Lagos Federal High Court, for allegedly hacking into a server named ‘Payvice’, an electronic platform of ITEX Integrated Services Limited, and fraudulently withdrew a total sum of N435, 386, 699. 99 million.
The alleged fraud syndicate were arraigned before the court presided over by Justice Ambrose Lewis-Allagoa are: Aderuku Oluwafemi Adedayo, Adigun Anuoluwapo Benjamin, Awopetu Tosin, Ajibade Taiwo Ayomide, Ojo Olamide Olwaseun, Miller Dunsin Oluwafemi, Olaleye Damilola Samuel and Ajibade Kehinde Ayodeyi.
The prosecutor, Barrister Morufu Animashaun, while arraigning the defendants told the court that the defendants conspired among themselves to commit the offences with other now at large on September 7, 2022 at 1e, Sinari Daranijo Street, Victoria Island, Lagos.
Animashaun told the court that all the defendants jointly hacked the company’s server and defrauded the company of different sums amounting to N435, 386, 699. 99 million.
He told the court that the first defendant benefitted the sum of N29.9 million, the second defendant received N51 million, with the third and fourth defendants benefitted N19 million and N20 million respectively, from the alleged fraudulent acts.
The prosecutor also told the court that the fifth to eighth defendants benefitted the sums of N13 million, N3 million, N13 million and N20 million respectively.
He also told the court that the first, second, third, seven and eight defendants after perpetrated the alleged frauds, transferred parts of the sums to some people in different banks.
He told the court that the offences committed by defendants are contrary to sections 8(a), 1(1)(a), 2(a) and 7(2)(b)of the Advance Fee Fraud and other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006 and Punishable under Section 1(3) of the same Act.
All the defendants pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Following the defendants’ not guilty plea, the prosecutor asked the court to remand them till the determination of the charges against them.
But the defendants’ counsel, F. F. Abisagbo, told the court that he had filed his clients’ bail application and same has been served on the prosecution.
The prosecutor however told the court that he has not been served with the application.
The court also confirmed that defendants’ bail application was not before the court.
Consequently, Justice Lewis-Allagoa ordered that the defendants be remanded in the custody of Nigerian Correctional Services (NCoS), while adjourned till April 27, for commencement of trial.
