Babatunji Wusu –
- Federal High Court orders the remand of 109 foreign nationals accused of cybercrime.
- The defendants are charged with conspiracy, money laundering, and promoting fraudulent gambling platforms.
- Five Brazilian defendants request separate trials and protection due to safety concerns.
- The court adjourns the matter until November 29 for the defendants to enter their pleas.
- The defendants were arrested in Abuja while operating fraudulent online gambling schemes.
The Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the remand of 109 foreign nationals accused of attempting to defraud Nigerians through cybercrime activities. The defendants, identified as citizens from China, Indonesia, Vietnam, the Philippines, Thailand, Brazil, Malaysia, and Myanmar, are facing multiple charges filed by the Cybercrime Unit of the Nigeria Police Force.
Justice Ekerete Akpan, who presided over the case on Friday, directed that the male defendants be held at the Kuje Correctional Center in Abuja, while the female defendants are to be kept at the Suleja Correctional Center in Niger State. The court adjourned the matter until November 29, 2024, for the defendants to enter their pleas on the six-count charge against them.
During proceedings, five Brazilian defendants—Lucas Costa Da Silver, Renan Ricardo Souza Rocha, Nelson Rocha Cardoso Neto, Rhuan Filippe Albuquerque Le Lonnes, and Aguiar Rodrigues Djeanne—requested to be tried separately from the others. They also expressed concerns for their safety, fearing harm from their co-defendants after making statements to the police. Their counsel, Eric Oba, requested that they be kept in police custody for their protection and urged the return of their passports, which had been seized by their employer upon arrival in Nigeria.
Additionally, the defense counsel for the other defendants, James Onoja, SAN, raised concerns about discrepancies in the names listed in the charge sheet and requested the adjournment of the arraignment until proper identification could be made. The prosecution, represented by Mr. A. A. Egwu, did not oppose the adjournment but highlighted the overcrowding at the police facility, stressing the need for the defendants to be transferred to a correctional center.
The 109 accused individuals were arrested at a building in Katampe District, Abuja, where they were allegedly engaging in cybercrime activities, including running unregistered and fraudulent gambling platforms. They face charges under the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act, 2015, for offenses including conspiracy to commit cybercrime, accessing computers and networks without authority, money laundering, and residing in Nigeria illegally. The defendants allegedly caused significant financial losses by promoting these fraudulent platforms to both Nigerian and international victims.
