Teenagers remanded over N40m fraud

Justice Daniel Osiagor of a Federal High Court in Lagos has ordered the remand of two teenagers, Uche Samuel and Erhunmwunse Eseosa Frank, in Correctional Centre over alleged N40 million fraud.

The order was sequel to the arraignment of the duo by the police on charges bordering on conspiracy, internet fraud, unlawful conversation, stealing by fraudulent conversation and fraud of N40 million.

They however denied the alleged offence upon their arraignment, following which the police lawyer, Henri Obiaze, sought for a trial date and urged the court to remand the defendants in custody of the Nigerian Correctional Services (NCoS), pending final conclusion of their trial.

Justice Osiagor while adjourning the matter to May 10, 2022, for trial, ordered that the defendants be remanded in custody of NCoS.

The presiding judge however told the defence lawyer to approach the court once his clients’ bail application is filed and served on the prosecution.

In the charge, the defendants who are 19 years of age and undergraduates of Delta State University (DELSU), were said to have sometimes in 2021, conspired among themselves to unlawfully convert the sum of $75, 000 equivalent of N40 million, which they derived directly from criminal activities of stealing and theft within the websites of a firm, Apex Multi-Trading Technologies Limited.

The unlawful action of the teenagers carried out by suppressing the firm’s data held in its computer for the purpose of conferring economic benefits to themselves was said to have caused Apex Multi-Trading Technologies Limited to lose the sum of $75, 000.

The alleged offences were in contravention of Sections 18(a) and 15(1)(b); of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011, Sections 516 and 390(9)of the Criminal Code, Cap. C38 LFN 2004 as well as Section 14(1) of the Cybercrime (Prohibition Prevention etc) Act, 2015, and punishable under the same Act.

TheStar