Two students accused of hacking MTN Nigeria’s computers and stealing N1.9 billion in airtime and data were granted bail of N50 million each by a Lagos Federal High Court, with additional requirements for their release pending trial.
On Monday, a Federal High Court in Lagos granted bail of N50 million each to two students, Timothy Oluwabukola from Moshood Abiola Polytechnic and Anthony Odemerho from Resign Regal Academy.
The duo allegedly hacked into MTN Nigeria Communications’ computers, stealing airtime and data worth N1.9 billion.
Justice Akintayo Aluko approved their bail after hearing two separate bail applications from the defendants. Alongside the bail amount, Aluko required each defendant to provide two sureties.
One surety must be a civil servant employed by the federal or Lagos State government, at grade level 14 or above. The other must own landed property within the court’s jurisdiction, provide evidence of ownership, and swear to an affidavit of means.
For the civil servant surety, a reference letter from their workplace and a letter of their last promotion are mandatory.
Additionally, the defendants must submit two recent passport-sized photographs to the court registrar. The court ordered that all documents provided by the sureties, including proof of their residential addresses, be verified by the prosecution.
The court also ruled that the defendants would remain in the Correctional Centre until their bail conditions are met.
Oluwabukola and Odemerho were initially arraigned on July 30, 2024, by the Police Special Fraud Unit. They face four charges, including conspiracy, unauthorized access to MTN’s web-based platform (Application Programming Interface), and unlawful conversion.
Police prosecution counsel Justine Enang stated that the defendants, alongside accomplices who are currently at large, committed the offences between January and April 2024 in Lagos and Edo states. They allegedly hacked into the MTN platform, stealing N1.9 billion worth of airtime and data.
The offences are said to contravene several sections of the Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention, etc) Act, 2015, as amended in 2024, and the Money Laundering (Prevention And Prohibition) Act, 2022.
Both defendants pleaded not guilty to the charges. Following their plea, the prosecution requested a trial date and the defendants’ remand in custody.
However, the defence lawyer presented bail applications, which were served on the prosecutor during the proceedings.
The prosecutor requested time to review the applications, and Justice Aluko adjourned the case to August 5, 2024, for the bail hearing.
READ ALSO: Nigerian Police Arraign Two Students For Hacking MTN System, Stealing N1.9billion Airtime, Data
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