Two former staff of First Marina Trust Ltd met their waterloo on Thursday when they were re-arraigned before a Federal High court in Lagos by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for alleged Identity theft and Cyber Crime.
The defendants, Adeyemi Oluwaseun and Suleiman Yusuf, are standing trial on a four-count charge bordering on conspiracy to commit identity theft, impersonation and Cybercrime.
They were first arraigned in June 2018, before Prof. Chuka Obiozor and were granted bail.
The trial had since commenced in the suit.
However, following a transfer of Justice Obiozor from the Lagos division, the defendants were on Thursday, re-arraigned before a new judge, Justice Tijani Ringim.
They, however, each pleaded not guilty to the charge.
Following a bail application moved by the defence, Justice Ringim allowed the defendants to continue on their earlier bail. The court then fixed Oct. 17 for the continuation of trial. According to the charge, the prosecutor, Mr Emeka Omenwa, told the court that the defendants committed the offence on June 22, 2016, in Lagos.
He also alleged that the duo being employees of the financial institution known as First Marina Trust Ltd, had conspired to steal the identity of one Lanre Ishola and he had alleged that having the intent to obtain the sum of ₦14.7 million from the financial institution, both defendants impersonated the said Lante Ishola, using a computer system
According to the prosecutor, the defendants also altered the email address of the said Lanre Ishola, from [email protected], to [email protected].
He alleged that this was in a bid to make the public act on same as genuine in order for them to achieve their fraudulent aim.
The anti-graft agency told the court that on May 3, 2016, the defendants also altered the email I.D of one Ohamuo Chimezie from [email protected] to [email protected], also in a bid to deceive the public.
All offences contravene the provisions of sections 13, 22(4), 27(a), and 27(2) of the Cyber Crimes (Prohibition, Prevention) Act, 2015.
