Court remands two men over alleged N23m cyber fraud

By Boye Oyeyemi

A Federal High Court sitting in Akure has ordered the remand of two men over their alleged involvement in a cyber fraud case amounting to over N23 million, reportedly targeting Enrich Microfinance Bank in Lagos.

The defendants, 24-year-old Olotin Tosin Joshua and 28-year-old Sunday Lucky Ovie, were arraigned on six counts related to cybercrime, alongside others who remain at large.

The offences were said to have been committed on or about February 20, 2023, in the Akure and Ado-Ekiti areas.

Prosecution counsel, Mr. Tolu Abisagbo, told the court that the accused conspired to commit cyber fraud by unlawfully accessing and tampering with the bank’s computer systems, leading to significant financial losses.

The defendants allegedly manipulated the bank’s data and transmitted electronic communications, resulting in the illegal transfer of N23,390,300.

Of that sum, N23,290,200 was said to have been fraudulently diverted for the benefit of the accused and their accomplices.

The charges were filed under several sections of the Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act, 2015, and the Criminal Code Act.

Both defendants pleaded not guilty, and Justice Toyin Bolaji ordered their remand at Olokuta Correctional Centre, adjourning the case to September 30, 2025, for further proceedings.