The Special Fraud Unit (SFU) of the Police, on Tuesday arraigned a defendant before a Federal High Court in Lagos, over alleged unlawful interception of digital infrastructure.

The defendant, Ayodeji Oyenekan, was charged before Justice A. Aluko, on a three-count charge bordering on cybercrime.

He, however. pleaded not guilty to the charge.

The prosecutor, Mr M. Y. Bello, told the court that the defendant committed the offence sometime in February 2022.

He, alleged that the defendant intentionally and without authorisation, intercepted digital infrastructure server hosted by Amazon Web Services, property of Meplaylist Classic Entertainment.

According to the prosecution, the defendant caused the said Meplaylist Classic Entertainment Ltd. loss of property, by altering Amazon Web services, which restricted the rightful owner access to its server.

He alleged that the defendant inputted his email address ayodeji.oye@meplaylist.com, and allegedly built a mobility startup called Hellobikee, for purposes of conferring economic benefits to himself.

The defendant was also alleged to have fraudulently made use of the electronic unique identification feature of Meplaylist, through his email, for purposes of conferring economic benefits to himself.

The offence contravenes the provisions of sections 12(1), 16(1), and 22(2)(a) of the Cybercrime ( Prohibition, Prevention) Act, 2015.

The court granted the defendant bail in the sum of N10 million with one surety in like sum.

The court held that the defendant shall remain in the correctional facility, pending perfection of all conditions of bail as spelt out by the court.

He adjourned the case until Jan. 21, 2025, for trial.

A security guard, Hamodu Shaibu, 25, on Tuesday, was brought before an Ado-Ekiti Chief Magistrates’ Court for allegedly stealing N10 million cocoa beans.

The defendant, whose address was not provided, pleaded not guilty when the charge was read to him.

The Prosecutor, Insp Akinwale Oriyomi, told the court that the defendant and others at large committed the offence sometime between March and Oct. 14, in Ilumoba-Ekiti.

Oriyomi alleged that Shaibu stole the cocoa beans valued at N10 million belonging to Mr Olubodun Arinde, a cocoa merchant.

The prosecutor said that the defendant, who was a security guard at the cocoa warehouse, had been tampering with the cocoa beans, until he was eventually caught.

According to him, the offence contravened Section 302(1) (a) of the Criminal Law of Ekiti State, 2021.

He urged the court to adjourn the case to enable him study the file and assemble his witnesses.

Defence Counsel, Mr Ademola Richard, urged the court to grant the defendant bail, with a promise that he would not jump bail.

The Chief Magistrate, Mr Abayomi Adeosun, granted the defendant bail in the sum of N1.5 million with two sureties in like sum.

He adjourned the case till Nov. 19 for hearing.

The police on Tuesday arraigned a 29-year-old man, Shehu Garuba, for allegedly stealing an Automated Teller Machine (ATM) card and withdrawing N810, 000 from owner’s account.

The defendant, of no fixed address, was arraigned before an Ado-Ekiti Chief Magistrates’ Court, on a charge of stealing.

The prosecutor, Insp Moyosola Adesola, told the court that the defendant and one other at large, committed the offence on Sept. 23 at about 6:00p.m at Access Bank premises, Bank Road, Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State.

She alleged that the defendant stole one ATM card belonging to the complainant, Mr Adewunmi Moses, and withdrew the sum of N810,000 from his account.

Adesola said that the offence contravened Section 295(1) (b) of the Criminal Law of Ekiti State, 2021.

She urged the court to adjourn the case to enable her study the file and assemble her witnesses.

The defendant, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge preferred against him.

The defendant’s counsel, Mrs Joy Raphael, urged the court to grant him bail, with a promise that he would not jump bail.

The Chief Magistrate, Mr Bankole Oluwasanmi, granted the defendant bail in the sum of N100,000 with one surety in like sum.

He adjourned the case until Oct. 30 for hearing.