Ladipo Sanusi/
The trial of three men accused of stealing N9.1 million from the bank account of the Speaker of Lagos State House of Assembly commenced today.
The defendants, Frank Nwokobia, 27; Ezeoke Kanayochukwu, 25, and Godwin Essien, 28; were earlier arraigned before Justice (Professor) Chuka Obiozor of a Federal High Court in Lagos, while the Court was on vacation.
But when the Court resumed, the case was reassigned to Justice Oluremi Oguntoyinbo, prompting the rearrangement of the accused persons on a 5-count charge bordering on conspiracy, fraud, impersonation and identity theft, by the State Criminal Investigations and Intelligence Department (SCIID).
The defendants allegedly hacked the Facebook account of the Speaker, Mudashiru Obasa and stole the sum of N9,188,100.
At today’s hearing, the prosecutor, Mr. William Olu-Ologun, informed the Court of the charge against the defendants and pleaded for the charges to be reread so that their pleas could be taken.
After the charges were read, the defendants pleaded not guilty.
Thereafter, their respective lawyers urged the Court to admit the defendants to bail under liberal terms.
Their bail applications were not opposed by the police.
Justice Oguntoyinbo, consequently, admitted them to bail in the sum of N5 million, with a surety each.
The judge ordered each surety to deposit the title documents and Certificates of Occupancy of their landed property with the Court’s Deputy Chief Registrar. They are also to provide three years tax receipts.
The judge also ordered that the surety’s official and residential addresses, as well as their phone numbers, must be verified by the prosecutor.
He adjourned trial till November 28.
According to the charge, the defendants, sometime in May, hacked Obasa’s Facebook account and retrieved information with which they withdrew the alleged sum from his Guaranty Trust Bank’s account.
After the Speaker reported the incident to the police, the defendants were arrested at different locations in Delta State.
They allegedly confessed to the crime.
The charge says the offences are contrary to Sections 27(1)(b) and 22(2)(b)(ii) of the Cybercrimes Prohibition and Prevention Act, 2015 and punishable under same.
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