7-man fraud syndicate remanded for hacking into Lagos company’s server and stealing N435.3m

An alleged seven-man fraud syndicate has been arraigned in the Federal High Court in Lagos State, for allegedly hacking into a server named “payvice”, an electronic platform of ITEX Integrated Services Limited, and stolen N435.3 million.

Members of the alleged syndicate, including Aderuku Adedayo, Adigun Benjamin, Awopetu Tosin, Ajibade Ayomide, Ojo Olwaseun, Miller Oluwafemi, Olaleye Samuel and Ajibade Ayodeyi, were brought before the court presided over by Judge Ambrose Lewis-Allagoa, by men of the Force Criminal Investigation Department (ForceCID) Annex, Alagbon-Ikoyi, Lagos,

The defendants face charges of conspiracy, hacking, theft and fraud brought against them by the police.

Prosecutor Morufu Animashaun told the court that the defendants conspired with each other and others currently at large to commit the offenses on September 7, 2022 at 1E Sinari Daranijo Street, Victoria Island, Lagos.

He said the defendants jointly hacked into the company’s server and defrauded the company of different sums amounting to N435, 386, 699.99.

The prosecutor told the court that the first defendant was awarded the sum of 29.9 million naira, while the second defendant was awarded 51 million naira, with the third and fourth defendants receiving 19 million naira and 20 million respectively. million naira of alleged fraudulent acts.

The prosecutor also told the court that the fifth to eighth defendants were awarded the sums of 13 million naira, 3 million naira, 13 million naira and 20 million naira respectively.

He said the first, second, third, seventh and eighth defendants, after the alleged fraud, transferred some of the money to certain people in different banks.

According to Animashaun, the offenses committed contravened sections 8(a), 1(1)(a), 2(a) and 7(2)(b) of the Advance Charge Fraud and Other Charges Fraud Act 2006. fraud, and punishable under Article 1, paragraph 3, of the same law.

All defendants have pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Following the defendants’ plea of ​​not guilty, the prosecutor asked the court to remand them until the determination of the charges against them.

However, the defendants’ lawyer, FF Abisagbo, told the court that he filed his clients’ bail application and that it was served on the prosecution.

The prosecutor, however, told the court that the request had not been served on him.

The court also confirmed that the defendants’ bail application was not before the court.

Consequently, Judge Ambrose Lewis-Allagoa ordered that the defendants be taken into the custody of the Nigerian Correctional Service and adjourned the case until April 27, for the start of the trial.