Bank Staff Docked For Hacking & Stealing Customer’s N28.8m

MICHAEL AKINOLA

A 28-year old bank staff, Kelvin Paul, has been arrested and charged in Lagos State for allegedly hacking into the account of a customer, Ifeanyi Nwerenzu, and stealing N22.8m and thereafter changing his bank’s phone number with another number to cover the fraud.

P.M.EXPRESS reports that the incident happened on 5th day of July, 2024, at Hall 2, ASPAMDA, Trade Fair Complex, Lagos, where the suspect works as a bank staff.

According to the Police, the suspect allegedly stole the money in question by pulling out same from the customer’s Bank Account No: 14430933XX with a mobile App.

He perfected the fraud by changing the phone number MTN Line 070637746..xx of the customer (Ifeanyi Nweremizu) with another phone number 07071411332 so that the bank will not discover it and had perfected plans to travel abroad with the money.

However, he ran out of luck as the complainant went to the bank to make enquiries on why he was unable to make transfer with his phone.

It was at that point that the Bank discovered the alleged fraud and reported the matter to the Police at Trade Fair Division. He arrested and detained him at the station for interrogation over his alleged conduct.

The Police found him culpable after rounds of interrogation and consequently charged him before the Ojo Magistrate Court for the alleged offence which attracts several years of imprisonment.

The charges read:

COUNT I: “That you, Kelvin Paul ‘M’ and others now at large, on the 5th day of July, 2024 at Hall 2, ASPAMDA Trade Fair Complex, Lagos State, in the Lagos Magisterial District did conspire among yourselves to commit felony to wit: stealing and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 411 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State of Nigeria 2015.”

COUNT II:”That you, Kelvin Paul ‘M’ and others now at large on the same date, time and place, in the aforesaid Magisterial District, did dishonestly and fraudulently steal the sum of N22,800,000.00 (Twenty-Two Million, Eight Hundred Thousand Naira) by transferring and pulling out same from a customer’s Bank Account No: 14430933XX with a mobile App; property of Ifeanyi Nwerenzu ‘M’ and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 287(6) of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State of Nigeria 2015.”

COUNT III:”That you, Kelvin Paul ‘M’ and others now at large on the same date, time and place, in the aforesaid Magisterial District, changed the phone number MTN Line 070637746..xx of a customer (Ifeanyi Nweremizu) with phone No:07071411332 so that it may be acted on as genuine to the prejudice of the account holder and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 363(1)(a) of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State of Nigeria 2015.”

However, he pleaded not guilty.

The Prosecutor, Inspector Esther Adesulu, then asked the Court to give a date for hearing since he pleaded not guilty to enable the Police to prove that he actually committed the alleged offence.

The Presiding Magistrate, LKJ. Layeni, granted him bail in the sum of N2m with two sureties in like sum, who must show evidence of means of livelihood and tax payment while addresses will be verified by the Court.

The matter was adjourned for mention while the defendant was remanded in custody at the correctional center pending when he will perfect his bail conditions.