Timothy Oluwabukola and Anthony Odemerho, students from Moshood Abiola Polytechnic and Resign Regal Academy respectively, faced arraignment at the Federal High Court in Lagos on Tuesday. They are charged with hacking into MTN Nigeria Communication Plc’s systems and embezzling airtime and data valued at N1.9 billion.
The police special fraud unit has filed four counts against the duo, including conspiracy, unauthorized access to MTN’s Application Programming Interface (API), and unlawful conversion of resources. According to the prosecution, the alleged crimes occurred between January and April 2024, across Lagos and Edo states.
Prosecutor Justine Enang revealed that Oluwabukola and Odemerho, both accused of collaborating with others who remain at large, accessed MTN’s API to steal valuable data. This action, Enang said, violated several sections of the Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention, etc) Act, 2015, as amended in 2024, and the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.
Despite the gravity of the charges, both defendants pleaded not guilty. The prosecution has requested a trial date and the defendants' detention in a correctional center until the case is resolved. The defense lawyers, however, have filed bail applications for their clients.
Justice Akintayo Aluko adjourned the case to August 5, 2024, for a hearing on the bail applications. The prosecutor was granted additional time to review the bail documents and prepare a response.
| Posted: at | |
TRENDING GISTS 
Pregnant Woman Dies Mid-operation As Jehovah’s Witness Doctor Refuses Blood Transfusion
Ganduje Sparks Controversy With One-Party State Remarks Amid Wave Of Defections
2025 U-20 AFCON: Check Out All 8 Teams That Qualified For Quarter-Finals
Watch Loved-Up Moment Portable's Wife, Ashabi Shared With The Singer (Video)