Kemsisola Oye
MEN of Force Criminal Investigation Department (Force CID Annex), Alagbon-Ikoyi, Lagos, have arraigned a seven-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 withdrawing a total sum of Four Hundred and Thirty-Five Million, Three Hundred and Eighty-Six Thousand, Six Hundred and Ninety-Nine Naira, Ninety-Nine Kobo (N435, 386, 699. 99) only.
The alleged fraud syndicate arraigned before Justice Ambrose Lewis-Allagoa includes 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 offence with others now at large on 7th September 2022 at 1e, Sinari Daranijo Street, Victoria Island, Lagos.
Anima Shaun further told the court that all the defendants jointly hacked the company’s server and defrauded the company of different sums amounting to Four Hundred and Thirty-Five Million, Three Hundred and Eighty-Six Thousand, Six Hundred and Ninety-Nine Naira, Ninety-Nine Kobo (N435, 386, 699. 99) only.
He told the court that the first defendant benefitted the sum of Twenty-Nine Million, Nine Hundred Thousand Naira (N29.900,000.00) only, the second defendant received Fifty-One Million (N51, 000,000.00) only, with the third and fourth defendants benefitting Nineteen Million (N19,000,000.00) and Twenty Million (N20,000,000.00), respectively, from the alleged fraudulent acts. The prosecutor also told the court that the fifth to eighth defendants benefitted the sums of Thirteen Million (N13,000,000.00), Three Million (N3,000,000.00), Thirteen. Million (N13,000,000.00) and Twenty Million (N20,000,000.00), respectively.
He also told the court that the first, second, third, seven and eighth defendants, after perpetrating the alleged fraud, transferred parts of the sums to some people in different banks.
He told the court that the offences committed by the 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 applications and the 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 the defendants’ bail applications were not before the court.
Consequently, Justice Lewis-Allagoa ordered that the defendants be remanded in the custody of Nigerian Correctional Services (NCoS), while adjourning the suit till 27th April commencement of trial.