The Economic and
Financial Crimes Commission on Wednesday arraigned four men before a Federal
High Court, Lagos for allegedly “tampering with critical mobile
telecommunications network system.”
The defendants –
Richard Edemdem, Samuel Okpapi, Nelson Ojovbo and Bamigbade Olushola – were
arraigned before Justice Mohammed Liman. EFCC also accused them of taking
possession of N36.8m “which you reasonably ought to have known that such funds
form part of proceeds of an unlawful act to wit: stealing.”
The prosecution told
Justice Mohammed Liman that the defendants conspired with a firm, ISD
Technology Limited; and one Solo, said to be at large, to commit the offences
sometime in 2017 in Lagos.
The prosecution said
they acted contrary to Sections 27(1Hb) and 10 of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition,
Prevention etc) Act, 2015 and were liable to be punished under the same section
of the Act.
The defendants
however, pleaded not guilty when the three counts were read to them.
The prosecuting
counsel for the EFCC, Anselem Ozioko, prayed the court to fix a date for their
trial and to remand them in the prison custody.
The defence counsel,
Olumide Esan, however prayed for a short adjournment to enable him to file and
serve application for his clients’ bail on the prosecution.
