ARRAIGNMENT OF FOREIGNERS STALLED, COURT REMANDS THEM TO PRISON OVER CYBERCRIME ALLEGATIONS
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The 109 foreign nationals connected to high-level cybercrimes, hacking, and actions endangering national security have been ordered to remain in Kuje and Suleja correctional institutions till the next adjourned date by Federal High Court Abuja Justice Ekerete Akpan.
Judge Akpan issued the order in response to the defendants’ attorney’s plea, arguing that the police facility where they are being held was unsuitable for the volume of suspects.
Issues with lawyer representation and the falsification of the suspects’ names on the charge sheet also caused the arraignment of the suspects to be delayed.
Ogwu Onoja, the attorney for some of the defendants, informed the court that, in order to help those who are unable to understand spoken English, translators must be present throughout court hearings.
In addition, Eric Oba, the Brazilian defendants’ attorney, requested that the court segregate his clients from the other defendants; however, the court refused, citing the lack of arraignment.
The trial judge postponed the case until November 29 for arraignment after hearing the attorneys’ submissions.
Due to the suspects’ lack of legal representation, the arraignment was likewise postponed on the most recent postponed date.
In order to provide the defendants access to legal representation and to guarantee that the attorneys are adequately briefed on the case, Justice Ekerete Akpan had adjourned.
113 foreign nationals, 87 men and 26 women, primarily from China, Vietnam, Thailand, Indonesia, Brazil, the Philippines, and Malaysia, as well as 17 Nigerian collaborators, are to be charged on a six-count indictment pertaining to cybercrime.
Following a planned raid and strategic operation in the Jahi neighborhood of Abuja, where the suspects were reportedly employing laptops and other advanced technology to enable illegal activity, the suspects were taken into custody on November 3, 2024.
Part of the count read that the suspects did enter the territory of the Federal Republic of Nigeria with a business permit of 30 days duration and failed, or neglected to leave the Nigerian Territory at the expiration of the said permit and remained in Nigeria without a valid resident permit or appropriate valid visa which is in contrary to section 4 (2) and punishable under section 44 (1) (c) of the Immigration Act 2015.
Another count stated that the suspects within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court with intent to defraud did promote via electronic messages on the internet, a fraudulent and unregistered gambling platform, materially misrepresenting facts about the said fraudulent gambling platform upon which reliance, persons in Nigeria and outside Nigeria suffered enormous economic losses and you thereby commit an offence contrary to and punishable under section 14 (2) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, Etc) Act, 2015 (As Amended, 2024).
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