Court jails Ecobank staff member for N2.4 million cybercrime | #cybercrime | #infosec

The Federal High Court in Ikoyi, Lagos, on Monday, sentenced Solomon Ufayo, a staff member of Ecobank Plc, to one year in prison for cybercrime involving N2.4 million.

The conviction followed Mr Ufayo’s arraignment on 16 May, before trial judge Yellim Bogoro.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) arraigned him on one count of cybercrime.

According to EFCC spokesperson Dele Oyewale on Monday, Mr Ufayo was accused of fraudulently impersonating a customer of the bank, Ogunfodunrin Omowunmi Ajoke, between 10 and 28 March.

Mr Oyewale stated that while serving as a Relief Teller, Mr Ufayo allegedly manipulated deposit and withdrawal tellers on the customer’s Ecobank account (No. 2801086259), enabling him to divert a total of N2,404,000 into his personal Opay account.

The commission alleged in the charge that between the 10 to 28 March 2025, in Lagos, the defendant, while working for Ecobank Nigeria Limited as a Relief Teller, fraudulently represented himself as Ogunfodunrin Omowunmi Ajoke by posting false deposit and withdrawal tellers on her Ecobank account number 2801086259, with intent to gain advantage for himself.

The action, EFCC said, is contrary to Section 22(2)(b)(i) of the Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention etc.) Act, 2015 and punishable under Section 22(2)(b) of the same Act.

Mr Ufayo pleaded guilty to the charge.

Testimony

Following his plea, EFCC counsel Abdulhamid Tukur called EFCC operative David Gajere to review the facts.

Mr Gajere told the court that Mr Ufayo admitted to the crime in a voluntary statement and had issued a bank draft of N2,404,000 as restitution to the petitioner.

The prosecution tendered key exhibits including the defendant’s statement, copies of falsified bank slips, and the certified true copy of the restitution bank draft.

The statement noted that the court admitted them in evidence.

Sentence

Before sentencing, Mr Ufayo pleaded for leniency, citing personal hardship.

“I was tempted because my wife was pregnant. I was still in custody when she delivered. I have learnt my lesson,” he said.

But Mr Bogoro convicted Mr Ufayo and sentenced him to one year in prison with an option of N500,000 fine.

The court also ordered that he serve two weeks of community service.

Past cybercrime convictions

The court has severally handed down jail terms for cyber-related offences.

Earlier in June, one of the court’s judges in Lagos, Alexander Owoeye, sentenced eight Filipino nationals to one year in prison each for cyber-terrorism and internet fraud.

The convicts—Beverlyn Casino, Mae Eribal, Mary Grace Dela Cruz, Jamal Polea, Tricia Castro, Rai Camara, Cherry De Leon, and Danica Jarapan—were found guilty of possessing fraudulent documents and impersonating others online to perpetrate identity theft and financial fraud.

Ms Casino was additionally accused of recruiting Nigerian youths for cybercrime, including posing as foreign nationals to deceive victims.

Each of the eight was given an option of a N1 million fine, with orders for deportation after serving their sentences. Their digital devices were forfeited to the Federal Government.

The EFCC said the Filipinos were among 792 suspects, including 158 foreign nationals, arrested during a massive December 2024 raid on a cybercrime hub in Victoria Island, Lagos.

EFCC described it as the “largest single-day cybercrime operation in history,” the agency said the suspects ran investment scams, romance fraud, and identity theft rings targeting victims globally.

Mr Bogoro had separately convicted 12 other Filipino nationals involved in the same syndicate under a plea bargain arrangement. They received similar sentences and fines.

Meanwhile, four Filipino nationals arrested in the raid—Marj Maranga, Zara Fabian, Dominique Medina, and Rachelle Cabalona—have pleaded not guilty and are facing ongoing trials.

Mr Oyewale said the Commission would continue to prosecute those not covered by plea deals and enhance cooperation with foreign missions to ensure justice.