By Miriam Humbe
The Lagos Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Friday, February 21, 2025, arraigned 17 more Chinese and a company, Genting International Co. Ltd, before Justice Musa Kakaki and Justice Daniel Osiagor, both of the Federal High Court, sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos for fraud.
Dele Oyewale, EFCC’s Head of Media and Publicity disclosed this in a statement signed on Friday.
The defendants are: Mao Bu Yi, Li Xiang Long, Dai Li, Yu Hai Qing, Jia Yang, Jia Zhi, Hao Tao Kun, Liu Chuang, Zhao Xiao Liang, Ziao Zi Cheng, Zhang San Feng, Li Zhong Chan, Chen Gui Ping, Su Jan Fu, Su Zong Gen, Wang Jie, and Zeng Zerong.
The defendants are among the 792-member cryptocurrency investment and romance fraud suspects arrested on December 10, 2024, in a sting operation tagged “Eagle Flush Operation” by EFCC operatives.
They were arraigned on separate charges bordering on alleged cyber-terrorism, cybercrime, possession of documents containing false pretence, and identity theft.
While Jie and Zerong were arraigned before Justice Kakaki, the remaining 15 were arraigned before Justice Osiagor.
The charge against Yi reads: “That you, Mao Bu Yi and Genting International Co. Limited sometimes in December 2024 at Lagos within the jurisdiction of this Honourabe Court, willfully caused to be accessed computer system for the purpose of destabilizing and destroying the Economy and social structure of Nigeria and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 18 of the Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention, Etc} Act, 2015 (as Amended, 2024).”
The charge against Jie reads: “That you, Wang Jie (a.k.a. Xu Zhong Xiang) and Genting International Co. Limited, sometime between the 29th of November, 2024 and 10th of December, 2024 at No. 7, Oyin Jolayemi Street, Victoria Island, Ikoyi, Lagos, within the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court of Nigeria willfully caused to be accessed, computer systems which were organized to destabilized the social and economic structure of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, when you secretly procured and employed several Nigerian youths for identity theft and other computer related fraud, and you thereby committed an offence, contrary to and punishable under Section 18 of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, Etc.) Act, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2015 As amended).”
They all pleaded “not guilty” to the charges, following which prosecution counsel, M.S. Owede, T.J. Banjo, A.C. Olowonihi, and N.C. Mutfwang asked the courts for trial dates and for the defendants to be remanded in the appropriate correctional center.
While Justice Kakaki adjourned the matter till March 20, 2025 for trial, Justice Osiagor adjourned till June 11, 2025 for trial. They were all ordered to be remanded in the correctional centre.
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