POLICE authority in Lagos State has arraigned a student of Moshood Abiola Polytechnic (MAPOLY), Abeokuta, Ogun State, Timothy Oluwabukola and the proprietor of Resign Regal Academy in Benin City, Edo State, Anthony Odemerho before a Federal High Court for allegedly hacking the database of MTN Nigeria Communication Plc and stealing airtime and data worth One Billion, Nine Hundred Million Naira (N1.900,000,000.00) only.
The duo were docked before Justice Akintayo Aluko on a four-count charge of conspiracy, unauthorised access to the company’s web-based Application Programming Interface (API), and unlawful conversion.
Police prosecutor from the Special Fraud Unit, Justine Enang, informed the court that the defendants, along with others at large, conspired to access MTN’s API and obtained data from it, which they used to defraud the company of the said sum.
Enang further told the court that the offences contravened sections 27(1)(b), 6(2), and 28(1)(b) of the Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act, 2015, as amended in 2024, and were punishable under Section 8(2) of the same Act.
He equally noted that the offences violated Section 18(2)(b) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022, which is punishable under Section 18(3) of the same Act.
The defendants, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges.
In light of their plea, the prosecutor requested that the court set a trial date and remand the defendants in the custody of the Nigerian Correctional Services (NCoS) until judgment is delivered in the suit.
Counsel to the defendants, however, informed the court that he had filed bail applications for his clients and that these had been served on the prosecutor.
In response, the prosecutor confirmed receipt of the applications but stated that he had only been served while the proceedings were ongoing.
Enang then requested a short adjournment to allow him time to study the applications and respond accordingly.
After hearing from both sides, Justice Aluko adjourned the matter to August 5 for a hearing on the defendant’s bail applications.
Eighteen-Eleven Media