An official of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Omotosho Adewunmi has narrated to Justice Olubunmi O. Abike-Fadipe of a Lagos Special Offences Court, Ikeja, how an alleged bank hacker, Chris Ihebuzo was arrested.
Led-in-evidence led by EFCC counsel, Mr. Franklin Ofoma, the witness told the court that EFCC received a petition from Access Bank complaining of viral video on social media wherein a hacker, Chris Ihebuzo bragged about hacking the bank’s servers.
Ihebuzo claimed in the viral video that he gained access into the Access Bank data base and extracted data of over two thousand customers.
Ms Adewunmi, who is the second prosecution witness in the matter, told the court that when EFCC arrested Ihebuzo, the Commission recovered laptop, 12 blank ATM Cards, documents containing account numbers, phone numbers and Biometric Verification Number, BVN of customers.
She further told the court that, the defendant volunteered statement to the Commission under caution.
Subsequently, Mr. Ofoma submitted the materials to the court as evidence, which Justice Abike-Fadipe admitted.
The EFCC had in a seven-count-charge brought against the defendant alleged that sometime in August 2020 in Lagos within the court’s jurisdiction, with intent to extort money from Access Bank Plc, knowingly sent an electronic mail to the management of Access Bank Plc demanding money from them.
The defendant claimed that he had in his possession, Access Bank Public liability company’s document, containing the phone numbers, bank account, NIN numbers, and biometrics verification numbers (BVN) of Access Bank customers.
His offences was said to have bordered on unauthorized access to computer material, intent to extort, intent to defraud, an unauthorized access to the bank’s customer data with intent to facilitate and extort money from the bank.
The commission said the offence was contrary to sections 278(1)&(2), 285 (1) and section 21(5) and 312 (1)(a) & 2 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State.
Also, contrary to sections 385(1), 386(1), 387(1), 388(1) and 389 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.
Under cross-examination by defence counsel, EFCC Operative, Ms Adewunmi told the court that the commission’s forensic expert gave her team, the defendant’s name and address.
She said the document received from the Ihebuzo was exclusively for the bank.
Subsequently, the EFCC counsel asked for adjournment while the defendant’s counsel told the court that he intended to bring two witnesses to testify for the defendant.
Thereafter Justice Abike-Fadipe adjourned till Friday next week, for the continuation of trial.
