An E-payment Service Manager with Premium Trust Bank Limited, Matthew Adeniyi Damilola and four others, were today arraigned before a Federal High Court, Lagos, for allegedly hacking into the server of that bank.
Others arraigned alongside the bank’s E-payment Service Manager are: Kehinde Odeyemi, a mother of fourth months old baby; Samson Latshin Dakup, Bolaji Omotosho Yinka and Sunday Badeniyi Okunnola.
All the defendants were arraigned before the court presided over by Justice Alexander Owoeye, on a six count-charge of alleged conspiracy, Cybercrime, unlawful access to the Bank’s database, by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC)
The prosecutor, Zeenat B. Atiku, told the court that all the defendants committed the alleged offences between April and May 2025.
The prosecutor told the court that the listed defendants, conspired with the trio of one Humble, Isa Ismaila and Victor Joshua Ilemona also known as Oracle, who were said to be at large.
The prosecutor specifically told the court that the bank’s E-payment Service Manager, Mathew Adeniyi Damilola, knowingly and without authority disclosed the bank’s access code, including server IP and domain credentials, which allowed other defendants to gain access to the database of Premium Trust Bank Limited for the financial benefit of $10, 000 USD.
She also told the court that other defendants intentionally and without authorisation attempted to intercept the network database of Premium Trust Bank Limited.
Atiku also to old the court that all the defendants procured the computer system HP LAPTOP PROBOOK 440G9 SERIAL NUMBER SN#5CD2473N6G, designed to overcome the security measures of Premium Trust Bank Limited network, with intent to use the device for unlawful access to Bank’‘s database.
She told the court that the defendants’ acts, contravened sections 12(1)(b), 27; 28 (1)(b)(c) and 28 (3) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention Etc) Act, 2015 (as amended, 2024), which is punishable under Section 28 (2) of the same Act.
All the defendants pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Following their not guilty plea, the prosecutor, Atiku, prayed the court for trial date, as well asked that they be remanded in custody pending trial.
However, efforts by the defendants’ lawyers to orally move their clients’ bail applications was turned down by the judge, who counseled them to file proper applications to court on their request.
Consequently, by the agreement of the counsel, the judge adjourned the matter to June 30, 2025, for trial.
The judge while ordered that all the defendants be remanded at the custody of the Nigerian Correctional Services (NCoS) pending trial, however advised that the defendants’ counsel can file an application for abridgement of date, once their bail applications are ready.
Counts one, three, six and seven of the charges against the defendants read: “that you, Kehinde Odeyemi, Samson Latshin Dakup, Bolaji Omotosho Yinka, Sunday Badeniyi Okunnola and Mathew Adeniyi Damilola, along with individuals identified as Humble (at large), Wasiu (at large), Isa Ismaila (at large) and another referred to as Victor Joshua Ilemona a.k.a. Oracle (at large), conspired Unlawfully between April and May 2025 in Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, to manipulate the access code (This included the bank’s server IP and domain credentials) of Premium Trust Bank Limited in a bid to gain unauthorised access to the entire database of Premium Trust Bank Limited for the purpose of committing an offense to wit: stealing the sum of … from the bank’s funds, and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 27 and 28 (1) (b) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention| Etc) Act, 2015 (as amended, 2024), which is punishable under Section 28 (2) of the same Act.
“That you, Kehinde Odeyemi, Samson Latshin Dakup, Bolaji Omotosho Yinka and Sunday Badeniyi Okunola, along with individuals identified as Humble (at large), Wasiu (at large), ISA ISMAILA (at large) and another referred to as Victor Joshua Ilemona a.k.a Oracle (at large), between April and May 2025 in Lagos within the jurisdiction of this Honorable Court procured an eagle flash drive designed to overcome the Security measures of Premium Trust Bank Limited network with intent that the device will be utilised for the purpose of unlawful access to the Bank’s database, and you thereby committed an offence contrary to’ and punishable under Section 28 (1) (c) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, Etc) Act, 2015 (As Amended, 2024).
“That you Mathew Adeniyi Damilola, between April and May 2025 in Lagos within the jurisdiction of this Honorable Court knowingly and without authority disclosed the access code (This included the bank’s server IP and domain credentials) allowing to gain access to the database of Premium Trust Bank Limited for the financial benefit of $10, 000.00 (Ten thousand USD), and you thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 28 (3) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, Etc) Act, 2015 (As Amended, 2024).
“That you, Kehinde Odeyemi, Samson Latshin Dakup, Bolaji Omotosho Yinka, and Sunday Badeniyi Okunola, along with individuals known as Humble (at large), Wasiu (at large), Isa Ismaila (at large), and another identified as Victor Joshua Ilemona, also known as Oracle (at large), between April and May 2025, in Lagos within the jurisdiction of this Honorable court, intentionally and without authorisation attempted to intercept the network database of Premium Trust Bank Limited, and you thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 27 and 12 (1) (b) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, Etc) Act, 2015 (as amended, 2024)”
Culled: News Dish
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