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From: Lukman Olabiyi
Three men, who allegedly hacked the Facebook account of Lagos State House of Assembly Speaker, Mudashiru Obasa and reportedly stole N9.1 million, from his bank account, were re-arraigned, on Monday, before the Federal High Court, Lagos.
Frank Nwokobia, 27, Ezeoke Kanayochukwu, 25, and Godwin Essien, 28, were earlier arraigned on August 8, before a vacation judge, Justice Chuka Obiozor, by the Police.
Their case was, however, re-assigned by the Chief Judge, to Justice Oluremi Oguntoyinbo and the three of them were, on Monday.
The accused persons are standing trial on a five-count charge of conspiracy, impersonation, identity theft and fraud.
According to prosecuting counsel, William Olu Ologun, the trio, sometime in May, hacked into Obasa’s Facebook account and retrieved information with which they withdrew N9.1million from his Guaranty Trust Bank (GTB) Plc account.
Ologun said following Obasa’s complaint, the accused persons were arrested by police at different locations in Delta State.
According to him, they confessed to the crime. The offences, he added, were contrary to Sections 27(1)(b) and 22(2)(b)(ii) of the Cybercrimes Prohibition and Prevention Act, 2015 and punishable under same.
The accused persons pleaded not guilty to the charge.
Their lawyer, Ali Abba, applied for their bail “on liberal terms.”
Ali said they had credible sureties and would always be available for trial.
In a bench ruling, Justice Oguntoyinbo, admitted the defendants to bail in the sum of N5 million with one surety each.
“The sureties must be recommended by the defendants’ lawyer, must reside in Lagos, own landed property and be tax compliant,” the judge ruled.
