Cybercrime: Court grants N1bn bail to 109 alleged foreign hackers
orders seizure of their international passports, fixes Feb 27 for trial
ABUJA–The Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, on Friday, granted bail to 109 alleged foreign hackers that attempted to defraud Nigerians, in the aggregate sum of N1 billion.
Trial Justice Ekerete Akpan further ordered the defendants, who were earlier remanded in prison custody, to produce five sureties with the sum of N200 million each.
The court held that the sureties must not only depose to an affidavit of means but must also be owners of properties within the Abuja metropolis not valued below N200m.
It held that title deeds of the properties must be submitted to the Deputy Chief Registrar of the high court who must also verify the residential address of all the sureties.
More so, the court ordered all the defendants to surrender their international passports and not travel out of the country until the conclusion of their trial.
It ordered both the defendants and their sureties to submit two of their recent passport photographs, stressing that they must remain in custody, pending the fulfilment of all the bail conditions.
Whereas the male defendants were remanded in Kuje prison, the court held that the female defendants should be kept at Keffi prison in Nasarawa state.
The case was subsequently adjourned till February 27, 2025, for trial.
The defendants, who were identified as citizens of China, Indonesia, Vietnam, Philippines, Thailand, Brazil, Malaysia and Myanmar, are facing a six-count charge that was entered against them by the Cybercrime Unit of the Nigeria Police Force.
They had through their team of lawyers led by Dr. Ogwu Onoja, SAN, and Eric Oba, prayed the court to release them on bail, pending the hearing and determination of the charge against them.
The defendants, who said they were ready to be tried, assured that they would not escape from the country.
On his part, the prosecution counsel, Mr. A. A. Egwu, said he would leave the issue to the discretion of the court.
Egwu, however, urged the court to impose conditions that would ensure the attendance of the defendants at their trial.
The defendants had pleaded not guilty to the charge that was translated to them in their various languages, through interpreters.
It will be recalled that five Brazilians- Lucas Costa Da Silver, Renan Ricardo Souza Rocha, Nelson Rocha Cardoso Neto, Rhuan Filippe Albuqverque Le Lonnes, and Aguiar Rodrigues Djeanne- who were listed as defendants in the charge, earlier expressed their desire to be prosecuted separately.
Police told the court that the defendants were arrested at a building situated at plot 1906, Cadestral Zone 807, Katampe District of Abuja, where they were said to be engaging in cybercrime.
Aside from cybercrime, the defendants were also charged for money laundering and an allegation that they were residing in Nigeria, illegally.
In the charge marked: FHC/ABJ/CR/599/2024, police, alleged that the defendants conspired among themselves “to commit an offence, to wit; cybercrime and you thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under section 27 (1) (b) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, Etc) Act, 2015 (As Amended, 2024).”
They were also alleged to have “knowingly access a computer and network and input, alter, delete of suppress data resulting in inauthentic data with the intention that such inauthentic data will be considered or acted upon as If they were authentic or genuine and you thereby commit an offence contrary to and punishable under section 13 of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, Etc) Act, 2015 (As Amended, 2024).”
Police told the court that the 109 defendants, “knowingly and without authority, caused loss of property to persons in Nigeria and outside Nigeria,” when they caused the inputting and suppression of data by deceiving people to believe that an unregistered gambling platforms they were marketing, were authentic.
It alleged that the deceptive action of the defendants was for them to confer economic benefits on themselves, thereby committing an offence contrary to and punishable under section 14 (1) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, Etc) Act, 2015 (As Amended, 2024).
More so, the prosecution alleged that the defendants, with intent to defraud, “did promote via electronic Messages on the internet, a fraudulent and unregistered gambling platform, materially misrepresenting facts about the said fraudulent gambling platform upon which reliance, persons in Nigeria and outside Nigeria suffered enormous economic losses and you thereby commit an offence contrary to and punishable under section 14 (2) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, Etc) Act, 2015 (As Amended, 2024).”
They were also alleged to have removed from Nigeria, “proceeds generated from operating a fraudulent and unregistered gambling platforms, namely: 9f.com, c2.top, 8pg.top and you thereby commit Money Laundering, contrary to and punishable under section 18 of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.”
The defendants were further accused of entering “the territory of the Federal Republic of Nigeria with a business permit of 30 days duration and failed, or neglected to leave the Nigerian territory at the expiration of the said permit and remained in Nigeria without a valid resident permit or appropriate valid visa and you thereby contrary to section 4 (2) and punishable under section 44 (1) (c) of the Immigration Act 2015.”
Those cited as defendants in the matter are: Hanfu E, Chen Slin, Yang Yang, Peng Guang, Yan ha Wen, Wang Shan, Jun, Wang Zhan, Hang G, U Xlao Fen, Xiegang Bing. Zheng Peng Zhan, Shut at.
Jupanpan, Wang Zha Zhou tong, Fens Guo, Lichang Miao, Huang Da Dian, His Ming, Li Fang, Zhao Vifan, Wu Chao, Cal Jun Ping. Wei Jun, Mahunan, Ye um Feng. Al tun, A Feng, Xiao Bei, Lin Wet lie, Yun Ha, lI Fei, Xiao ling Qing. Ye Jun Shan, Sun Qang Qiang, Chen Ming lie, Chen lia lia, Zheng han Feng, Zhang Xiong Sheng, Niu Zhi, Chen Brao, Cuivi Fei, LIl Chang. Wang Shou Cheng, Hua lian Guo, Zheng Peng Fei, Ling Zhe Ming. Wang Xur Ze, Wei Tang, Wang Hao, Wang Y Bo, Cheng Xing, Wang Yong Xing, Chen Yan QI, Yang Xu Gung, Zhu Jiu Hui, Shi Hag Jie, Zhou Kia Lal, Xie Pan, Tu Xue File, Zixi Chen, Cheng Zeng Bin, (All of who are Chinese Citizens), Maydianto, Linda Wati (Indonesians), Dan The Anh, ChalTu Cuong, Nguyen Dac Duoc, Nguyen Thi Sen and Tran Van Khaih.
Others are: Nguyen Van Hal, Hoang Le Chien, Vu Xuan Hiep, Ngo Van Hung, Hoang Van Thanh, Nguyen Manh Duc, Tran Van Luc, Phan Duc Thien, Phan Viet Dung, Trieu Van Pu, Pham Thite Uyen, To A Si, Vi Phi Nghi, Dinh Thi Qynh, Sa Thi Gam, Pham Trong Thanu, Ho The Huong (Vietnam Citizens), Jay Mhar Avile Delos Reyes, John Mark Aviles Delos Reyes, Jeffery Ama, Asriya S. Ahmad, Charie Cervartes, Jamel Pabili Aviles, Airah Ivy Lacerna Defeo, Angelica Tayao Ama, Lovely Eidly Tayao Ama (Philippines), Panupong Wanasak, Aatairat See Ni, Laongdao Saeguang, Achalar Saeyang, Galin Suphaaut (Thailand Citizens), See Yixiong, Loh Wai Fong, Lee Chee Hau (Malaysians), Wai Thon Tun and Khun Chan Min Paing See (Myanmar).