The Lagos Zonal Directorate 1 of the Economic and
Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Awolowo on Tuesday, May 20, 2025, arraigned
the duo of Kehinde Odeyemi and Matthew Adeniyi Damilola, who are both employees
of Premium Trust Bank, before Justice Alexander Owoeye of the Federal High
Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos.
They were arraigned alongside Samson Latshin Dakup,
Bolaji Omotosho Yinka and Sunday Badeniyi Okunola on a seven-count charge
bordering on conspiracy to steal.
The defendants allegedly conspired to manipulate the
server and domain credentials of the bank in a bid to gain unauthorised access
to its database and steal depositors’ funds.
The planned fraudulent activity was, however, averted
by the Commission.
One of the counts reads: “That you, Kehinde Odeyemi,
Samson Latshin Dakup, Bolaji Omotosho Yinka, Sunday Badeniyi Okunola, and
Matthew Adeniyi Damilola, along with individuals identified as Humble (at
large), Wasiu (at large), Isa Ismaila (at large) and another referred to as
Victor Joshua Ilemona aka Oracle, (at large), conspired unlawfully between
April and May 2025 in Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court,
to manipulate the access code (this included the bank's server IP and domain credentials)
of Premium Trust Bank Limited in a bid to gain unauthorised access to the
entire database of Premium Trust Bank Limited for the purpose of committing an
offense to wit: stealing from the bank's funds, and you thereby committed
an offence contrary to Section 27 and 28 (1) (b) of the Cybercrimes
(Prohibition, Prevention, Etc) Act, 2015 (as amended, 2024), which is
punishable under Section 28 (2) of the same Act.”
They pleaded not guilty to the charges when they were
read to them.
In view of their pleas, prosecution counsel,
Zeenat B. Atiku, prayed for a trial date and the defendants’ remand in a
Correctional Centre.
Counsel to the first defendant, Adeleke Adepoju, urged
the court to admit his client to bail in the most liberal terms. He
stated that he didn’t have enough time to make a formal application.
Other counsel also sought to make oral applications
for their clients.
Justice Owoeye, however, refused the applications and
ordered the counsel to make formal bail applications before the court.
The judge ordered the first defendant to be remanded
at the Kirikiri Correctional Centre.
The second, third, fourth and fifth defendants were
ordered remanded at the Ikoyi Correctional Centre.
The matter was adjourned till June 30, 2025 for
commencement of trial.
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