EFCC arraigns 20 Filipinos, Chinese, Indonesian over alleged cybercrime, security breach

By Lukman Olabiyi

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) yesterday arraigned 20 foreign nationals before Justice Musa Kakaki of the Federal High Court, Lagos, for alleged cybercrime and an attempt to destabilise Nigeria’s social and economic structure.

The defendants include 15 Filipinos, one Indonesian, and four Chinese nationals.

Some of the foreigners are Kayceelyn Remorin, Jonylyn Agulto, Donny Hermanto, Guo Bin, Darwa Esmael, Lari Jane Tayac, Jhena Samiento, Jessa Sai Chui, Rain Torida, Kimbaley Nisperos, Winnie De Jesus, Shairah May Reyes, Gladys Joy May Iba, Jean Calaga, Huo Wen Jie, Zhao Sui Tao, Gong An Penguna Yua, and Anjeannet Topacio, among others.

At the arraignment of the defendants on Thursday, the EFCC prosecutor, N. K. Ukoha, prayed that the charges against the defendants be read so that they could take their plea.

Consequently, the charge was read, and all the defendants, in their separate charges, pleaded not guilty to the same.

Ukoha then asked that the plea of not guilty be entered against the corporate entity linked to the charge, Genting International C.O. Limited, which was not represented by any person, as required by the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA).

The prosecutor also pleaded with the court to remand the defendants in the custody of the Nigeria Correctional Service pending trial.

However, counsel to the defendants, Bridget Omoteno and B. A. Ukpai, opposed the application.

They asked the court for a short adjournment to enable the defendants to explore the possibility of a plea bargain with the prosecution.

Justice Kakaki, after listening to the parties, granted the prosecutor’s prayer and remanded the defendants in the Nigerian Correctional Services’ custody pending trial.

The judge adjourned the case to March 18 and 20, 2025, for trial.

The separate two-count charges against the defendants read in part:

“That the defendants and Genting International Company Limited on or about the 18th of December 2024 in Lagos, within the jurisdiction of the Honourable Court, wilfully caused to be accessed computer systems organised to seriously destabilise the economic and social structure of Nigeria (which prohibits and prevents cyber and related crimes) when they procured/employed Nigerian youths for identity theft and to hold themselves out as persons of foreign nationality, with the intent to gain financial advantage for themselves and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 18 and 27 of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, Etc) Act, 2015 (As Amended, 2024).”

The defendants were also alleged to have, sometime in December 2024 in Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, with the intent to gain financial advantage for their employer, fraudulently impersonated and held themselves out as such, and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 22(2)(b) and 27(1)(a) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc) Act, 2015.