AJOKE PHILIP
Justice Abike-Fadipe of the Special Offences Court, Lagos State has adjourned till 18th February, 2022 for continuation of trial of a suspected hacker, Chris Ihebuzo, who claimed to have a database of over 2000 access bank customer’s accounts with the intention to remove money from the various bank account.
The financial institution had petitioned the the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) after the suspect claimed in a viral video that he has gained access into the bank’s database and extracted data of over 2,000 customers.
After investigation, a seven-count charge of stealing, demanding property by written threat, attempt to commit a felony, unauthorised access to computer material, unauthorised modification of computer material, and unauthorised access with intent to commit were slammed against him.
However, an investigator with EFCC, Ms Adewunmi Omotosho, on Monday told an Ikeja Special Offences Court how the suspect, Ihebuzo, was apprehended by the anti-graft agency.
The suspect, Ihebuzo, in a video that went viral online claimed to have gained access into the bank’s database and extracted data of over 2,000 customers.
Led in evidence by EFCC Prosecuting Counsel, Mr. Franklin Ofoma, the investigator told the Court that the EFCC received a petition from Access Bank complaining about a viral video on social media, where a hacker was bragging about how he had access to accounts of the bank.
Adewunmi, the second prosecution witness, said that when EFCC apprehended Ihebuzo, they recovered an HP Laptop, 12 blank ATM Master Cards, documents containing account numbers, phone numbers and Biometric Verification Number (BVN) of customers.
Ofoma submitted the materials to Court while urging the Judge to admit them into evidence.
Justice Olubunmi Abike-Fadipe thereafter admitted all the seized materials and documents as exhibits.
Adewunmi in her evidence told the Court that a forensic expert working in EFCC had given her team, the defendant’s name and address.
She said that all the documents seized from Ihebuzo were exclusively for the bank.
The EFCC investigator further told the Court that after his arrest, the defendant volunteered his statement to the Commission under caution.
The offences are contrary to Sections 21(5), 278(1) and (2), 285 (1), 312 (1)(a) and (2),385(1), 386(1), 387(1), 388(1) and 389 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State 2011.