The Department of State Security (DSS) has arraigned two suspects before an Isolo Magistrate Court for allegedly cloning the mobile phone number of Governor Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos State.
Peter Okerinmodun, DSS prosecuting counsel, on Wednesday told the court, presided by Adeola Adedayo, that the suspects Rilwanu Jamiu and Balogun Stanley Oyewole, had attempted to perfect a N50 million transfer with the said mobile line.
He revealed that they were arrested after using the Governor’s cloned mobile line to send a text message to the state Accountant-General requesting for a transfer of N50 million.
Okerinmodun added that the suspects conspired with others now at large to commit the crime on February 10, 2016 at about 10:02hours.
Count one reads: “That you Rilwanu Jamiu (M) of No10, Giwa Street, Oka Akoko Street, Lagos, and Balogun Stanley Oyewole (M) of No65, Unity Street, Ikotun, Lagos, and others at large on February 10, 2016 about 100:2hours at Lagos within Lagos Magisterial District, conspired to commit felony to wit: obtaining by false pretence and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 312 (2) and (3) of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State.”
Count two reads: “That you Rilwanu Jamiu, Balogun Stanley Oyewole of the above addresses, and others at large, on above date, time and place fraudulently cloned the Glo line of His Excellency, the Governor of Lagos State, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode, with intent to induce him by false pretence and used the Glo line to send a text message for the transfer of a sum of fifty million Naira (N50m) and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 312 (2) and (3) of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State.”
The accused persons pleaded not guilty to the charges, while the prosecutor requested that they should be kept in protective custody.
However, Adedayo overruled Okerinmodun, saying that the offence for which the accused persons were charged to court was bailable and that the magistrate court was a court of summary trial.
She, therefore, admitted them to bail in the sum of N1 million each and two sureties in like sum with one of the sureties being a religious or community leader within the jurisdiction of the court while the accused persons must provide five years tax clearance certificates.
She further ordered the accused persons to be remanded in Kirikiri Prison pending the perfection of the conditions attached to their bail, and adjourned the matter to May 10, 2016.
Credit: thewill
