The police Special Fraud Unit (PSFU) has arraigned Sunday Ozimede, an alleged hacker, before the Federal High Court in Lagos for breaching the vault of Moniepoint Microfinance Bank.
The defendant is facing three counts bordering on conspiracy, hacking and obtaining by false pretence preferred against him by the Police Special Fraud Unit.
The PSFU’s Prosecution Counsel, Justine Enang, told the court that the defendant hacked the microfinance bank and obtained the sum of N945, 728,076m, by false pretence.
The 43-year-old hacker, was also accused of causing financial loss to Moniepoint Microfinance Bank to the tune of N145 million, by planting a bug in the bank’s data system.
Barrister Justine Enang told the court that Ozimede and others said to be at large, committed the alleged offences sometimes in May, 2024.
Specifically, the prosecutor told the court the the defendant Sunday Ozimede, fraudulently diverted the mentioned sum from various Moniepont Microfinance Bank’s customers deposited funds through numerous transactions to other banks.
He told the court that the illegal acts of the defendant, are contrary to and punishable under sections Section 27 (i)(b); 14 of the Cyber Crimes (Prohibition, Prevention etc) Act, 2015 as Amended in 2024, Road along with section 14 (1) of the same Act
However, the defendant pleaded not guilty to the charges against him.
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Following his not-guilty plea, the prosecutor urged the court to remand him to a correctional centre pending the conclusion of the trial and asked the court for a trial date.
The defendant’s lawyer, Abdulmalik Ibrahim, in a motion for bail, pleaded with the court to admit his client to bail in the most liberal terms.
But the prosecutor opposed the bail application and accused the defendant of being a ‘flight risk’, saying that he might not turn up for his trial if granted bail.
Justice Ambrose Lewis-Allagoa, after listening to the parties’ submissions, admitted the defendant to bail in the sum of N50m, with one surety in like sum.
The judge also ordered that the surety must be a landed property owner within the jurisdiction of the court.
He added that the bail terms must be verified by the court’s registrar and the prosecutor.
The case was adjourned to March 13, 2025, for trial.
