Hacker Steals Over N1bn From Moniepoint Via Dark Web
Moniepoint Microfinance Bank has fallen victim to a cyberattack, resulting in over N1 billion being stolen, MarketForces Africa reports.
The alleged perpetrator, Sunday Ozimede, reportedly accessed the bank’s vault through a dark web operation.
The Police Special Fraud Unit (PSFU) has arraigned Ozimede before the Federal High Court in Lagos on charges of conspiracy and obtaining N945,728,076 through false pretenses.
The 43-year-old suspect is also accused of causing a financial loss of N145 million to the bank by introducing a bug into its data system.
According to the PSFU prosecutor, Justine Enang, Ozimede and unidentified accomplices committed the crimes in May 2024.
The defendant allegedly diverted funds from Moniepoint’s customers via multiple fraudulent transactions to accounts in other banks.
These actions, the prosecutor stated, violate Section 27(1)(b) and Section 14 of the Cyber Crimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act, 2015, as amended in 2024, as well as Section 18(2)(b) & (d) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.
Ozimede pleaded not guilty to the charges. Following his plea, the prosecutor requested his remand in the custody of the Nigerian Correctional Services (NCoS) until the trial’s conclusion. A trial date was also sought.
The defendant’s lawyer, Abdulmalik Ibrahim, filed a bail application, urging the court to grant his client bail on liberal terms.
However, the prosecutor opposed the motion, describing Ozimede as a flight risk.
Justice Ambrose Lewis-Allagoa granted bail to the defendant in the sum of N50 million, with one surety of the same amount.
The surety must own landed property within the court’s jurisdiction, with the terms verified by the court’s Registrar and the prosecutor.
