An Ikeja High Court will on July 1 deliver judgment in the case of three men charged with attempted N20 million fraud through electronic mail hacking.
The defendants were arraigned on an amended two-count charge of conspiracy to obtain money by false pretences and attempt to obtain money by false pretences.
The defendants – Ugorji Clinton, Obinanwa Abiodun and Kehinde Adewusi – were charged by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
They, however, pleaded not guilty.
Justice Hakeem Oshodi reserved the judgment after prosecution and defence counsel adopted their final written addresses on Wednesday.
The second defendant (Abiodun) was absent in court on Wednesday.
EFCC counsel, Mr Samuel Daji, informed the court that the second defendant had been absent two times.
Daji, however, prayed the court to allow the parties to adopt their final written addresses in line with Section 345 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act of 2021, as amended.
Oshodi granted the prayer as there was no objection from defence.
Daji, while adopting his final written address dated April 12, urged the court to convict the defendants as charged and hold that prosecution proved all the ingredients of the offences.
Counsel to Clinton, Mr Osita Mbamali, while adopting his final written address, prayed the court to discharge and acquit his client.
Adewusi’s counsel, Mr Oladele Afolabi, also urged the court to free his client.
“We urge the court to discharge and acquit the third defendant,” he said.
EFCC alleged that the defendants, on July 29, 2016, with intent to defraud, conspired and attempted to obtain N20 million from Sageto Ltd. in the guise that the instruction to transfer the sum emanated from the managing director of the company for the benefit of one Mr Ololade Olasunkanmi.
According to the anti-graft agency, the offences violate Sections Section 8 (a) 1 (3) and 8(b)1(3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006.
