A Federal High Court in Abuja has granted bail to 109 foreign nationals accused of cybercrime. The suspects face serious charges for allegedly defrauding Nigerians through fraudulent online gambling platforms. The court set a total of N1bn bail for the 109 suspects.
The 109 suspects come from China, Indonesia, Vietnam, the Philippines, Thailand, Brazil, Malaysia, and Myanmar. They are accused of promoting unregistered gambling websites like 9f.com, c2.top, and 8pg.top. These websites allegedly deceived people into believing they were legitimate, causing significant financial losses.
The charges against them include conspiracy to commit cybercrime, money laundering, and illegal residency. They allegedly used electronic messages to market the fraudulent platforms. In doing so, they misrepresented the platforms’ legitimacy, defrauding people in Nigeria and beyond.
The police also claim the suspects laundered money by transferring proceeds from the fraudulent websites out of Nigeria. Furthermore, the prosecution charged the suspects with violating Nigeria’s immigration laws by overstaying their temporary business permits.
Defense claims by the suspects
The suspects pleaded not guilty to the charges. They were represented by senior lawyers Dr. Ogwu Onoja and Eric Oba. The defense assured the court they would not flee the country and were ready for trial.
Their legal team argued for their release on bail. They emphasized that the defendants would cooperate with the legal process.
Court’s decision on N1bn bail for 109 suspects
Justice Ekerete Akpan also granted each defendant must secure five sureties. Each surety is responsible for N200 million.
The sureties must own property in Abuja worth at least N200 million. They must submit the title deeds of the property to the Deputy Chief Registrar. The court also ordered the verification of the sureties’ addresses.
Additionally, the defendants must surrender their international passports. They must not leave the country until after the trial. The court required them to submit two recent passport photos.
The court adjourned the trial to February 27, 2025. The court needs time to verify the bail conditions. The prosecution raised concerns about the defendants fleeing the country. To address this, the court set strict bail conditions. These conditions aim to ensure the defendants attend their trial.
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