Judge orders detention of accused in connection with cyber attack on financial institution, alleged theft of N800m

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A 47-year-old man, Ugochukwu Eze, popularly known as “Amazon,” was on Thursday arraigned before the Federal High Court in Lagos over allegations that he hacked into the server of Suntrust Bank Plc and fraudulently diverted N800m into several accounts.

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Eze was arraigned before Justice Friday Ogazi by operatives of the Department of State Services.

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Counsel for the DSS, M. Bajela, told the court that the defendant and others still at large allegedly conspired between 2023 and 2026 to unlawfully interfere with the bank’s computer system, leading to the diversion of more than N800m belonging to Suntrust Bank.

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The prosecution further alleged that Eze concealed and transferred various sums of money linked to the cyberattacks on financial institutions and unlawfully gained access to critical national financial information infrastructure.

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According to the prosecution, the alleged offences contravene Sections 5, 6(1), and 8 of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act, 2024, as well as Sections 10, 20, and 18(2)(d) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.

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However, the defendant pleaded not guilty to all the charges.

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Following his plea, Bajela urged the court to fix a date for trial and remand the defendant pending the determination of the case.

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Counsel for the defendant, E. Afrogha, informed the court that a bail application had already been filed, adding that Eze had been in DSS custody for more than one month.

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The prosecutor, however, said he had yet to be served with the application and noted that the prosecution’s witnesses were ready to proceed.

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After listening to both parties, Justice Ogazi adjourned the matter until August 24 for the hearing of the bail application.

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The judge also ordered that the defendant be remanded in the custody of the Nigerian Correctional Service pending the hearing and determination of his bail request.

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“That you, Ugochukwu Eze, alias Amazon, sometime between 2023 and 2026 in Lagos and other places within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, unlawfully hindered the function of Suntrust Bank Plc’s computer system and, in the process, fraudulently diverted over N800m belonging to the bank,” One of the charges read.

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According to the charge, the alleged offence is punishable under Section 8 of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act, 2024.

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