One of the nation’s commercial banks, SunTrust Bank Plc, is currently battling to recover over N800 million allegedly lost to hackers when its server was hacked between 2023 and 2026.
Meanwhile, the operatives of the Department of State Security (DSS) have arraigned one of the alleged hackers, a 47-year-old man, Ugochukwu Eze, before a Federal High Court, Lagos, over the illicit and heinous financial crimes.
Ugochukwu, also known as Amazon, was arraigned today before the court presided over for allegedly hacking into the server of Suntrust Bank Plc, and fraudulently removing and diverting over N800 million into several accounts
DSS lawyer, M. Bajela Esq, informed the court that the defendant and others now at large, between 2023 and 2026, conspired among themselves and unlawfully and seriously hindered the function of Suntrust Bank Plc’s computer system (server) and, in the process, fraudulently diverted over N800 million belonging to the bank.
The defendant was also alleged to have concealed and transferred various sums of money traced to the unlawful cyber-attacks on some financial institutions.
He was also accused of causing unauthorised access to critical National Financial information infrastructure.
The alleged offences of the defendant, according to the prosecutor, contravened sections 5; 6(1) and 8 of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention etc) Act, 2024. And Sections 10, 20 and 18(2)(D) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.
The defendant, however, pleaded not guilty to the allegations.
Based on his plea of not guilty, the prosecutor asked the court for a trial date, and prayed the court to remand the defendant pending the determination of the charge.
However, the defendant’s lawyer, E. Afrogha, informed the court that she has filed her client’s bail application. Adding that her client has been in the DSS custody for over a month.
But the prosecutor informed the court that he has not been served with the bail application. And that his witnesses are available.
Based on the counsel’s submissions, the presiding judge, Justice Friday Ogazi, adjourned the matter to August 24, for hearing of the bail application.
The judge also ordered that the defendant be remanded in the custody of the Nigerian Correctional Services NCoS pending the hearing aid of the bail application.
One of the counts against the defendant reads: “That you UGOCHUKWU EZE (AKA AMAZON) (M) (47 YEARS) sometime between 2023 and 2026 in Lagos, and other places within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, unlawfully seriously hindered the function of Suntrust Bank Plc’s computer system, and in the process fraudulently diverted over N800, 000,000.00 (Eight Hundred Million Naira) belonging to the said Suntrust Bank Plc, thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 8 of the cybercrime (prohibition, prevention etc.) Act, 2024.”
