A 47-year-old man, Ugochukwu Eze, also known as “Amazon,” was brought to the Federal High Court in Lagos on Thursday. He faces charges for hacking into the server of Suntrust Bank Plc and stealing N800m, which he allegedly moved into different accounts.
Eze appeared before Justice Friday Ogazi, with officials from the Department of State Services (DSS) handling the case.
M. Bajela, the DSS lawyer, told the court that Eze and others who are still at large supposedly worked together from 2023 to 2026. They are accused of illegally messing with the bank’s computer system, which resulted in the theft of over N800m from Suntrust Bank.
The prosecution claimed that Eze hid and transferred various amounts of money linked to these cyberattacks on banks. They also said he gained access to sensitive national financial information.
According to the prosecution, Eze’s actions broke Sections 5, 6(1), and 8 of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act, 2024. He is also charged under Sections 10, 20, and 18(2)(d) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.
Despite these serious charges, Eze pleaded not guilty.
After his plea, Bajela asked the court to set a date for the trial and keep Eze in custody until the case is resolved.
E. Afrogha, the lawyer representing Eze, told the court that they had already filed for bail. He added that Eze had been in DSS custody for over a month.
The prosecutor replied that he had not received the bail application yet. He also mentioned that the witnesses for the prosecution were ready to testify.
After hearing from both sides, Justice Ogazi postponed the hearing until August 24 to discuss the bail application.
The judge ordered that Eze be held in the custody of the Nigerian Correctional Service until the bail issue is sorted out.
One of the charges against Eze states, “That you, Ugochukwu Eze, alias Amazon, sometime between 2023 and 2026 in Lagos and other places within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, unlawfully hindered the function of Suntrust Bank Plc’s computer system and fraudulently diverted over N800m belonging to the bank.”
This charge can lead to serious penalties under Section 8 of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act, 2024.
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