Court Remands Alleged WhatsApp Hacker Over N700,000 Fraud
Justice Akintayo Aluko of a Lagos Federal High Court, has ordered the remand of an Alleged WhatsApp Hacker, Stephen Andrew Ojo, at the Ikoyi Center of the Nigerian Correctional Services (NCoS) till January 24, 2024.
Stephen’s remand was sequel to his arraignment before the court by the Officers of Zone 2 Police Command, Onikan, Lagos, on a four count-charge of conspiracy, identity theft and obtaining the sum of N700, 000, by false pretence.
The prosecutor, Mr. Zebedee Arekhandia, while arraigning the defendant on Wednesday, told the court that the defendant and others now at large, on September 12, 2024, at ajao Estate, Lagos, conspired among themselves and engaged in identity theft, by hacking the WhatsApp of one Mrs. Laraba Shuaibu, and impersonated her.
Mr. Arekhandia also informed the court that the alleged hacker and others now at large, used the hacked WhatsApp to fraudulently obtained the sum of N700, 000, from one Mrs. Osasu Tina Eriamiatoe.
The prosecutor further informed the court that the money was paid into the defendant’s Union Bank account and PalmPay account number 9550723433 belonging to one Michael Ijua.
He told the court that the offences committed by the defendant contravened sections 8(a) and 1(3)(a) and punishable under Section 1(3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006.
He also the court that the offences contravened sections Section 24 (2)(a)(b) (i)(ii) and (iii) of the Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act, 2015. And Section 15 (1) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2022 as amended in 2012.
The defendant, while pleaded guilty to the offences, however told the court that he was not the person that committed the alleged crimes.
With his guilty plea and his statement, Justice Aluko recorded ‘not guilty plea’ for him and ordered that he be remanded at Ikoyi center of NCoS, till January 24, 2024, when the Court’s Chief Judge, will reassigned his case file to the substantive judge.