EFCC Arraigns Nine Chinese For Cyber-Terrorism, Internet Fraud
On Thursday, the Lagos Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) arraigned nine Chinese before Justice C.J. Aneke of the Federal High Court, Lagos, over allegations of cyber-terrorism and Internet fraud.
The defendants, Su Dong Fu, Zheng Xian Tao, Wang Shi Long, Pan Cai Qi, Ting Liao, Fan Jia, Feng Li Cani, Lu Yong Yao and Yang Chen Cheng, were arraigned alongside a company, Genting International Company Limited.
The EFCC arraigned the suspects on separate charges, including alleged cybercrimes, cyberterrorism, possession of documents containing false pretences, and identity theft.
According to the anti-graft agency, the suspects are members of the syndicate of 792 alleged cryptocurrency investment and romance fraud suspects arrested on December 10, 2024, in Lagos during their surprise operation tagged “Eagle Flush Operation”.
One of the counts reads: “That you, ZENG XIAN TAO (AKA A TAO AND ZHOU TAO) AND GENTING INTERNATIONAL CO. LIMITED, sometime in December 2024 at Lagos, Nigeria within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, willfully caused to be accessed, computer systems used for the purpose of destabilizing and destroying the economy and social structure of Nigeria and you thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 18 of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, Etc.) Act, 2015 (as Amended, 2024) and Section 2(3) of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.”
When the charges were read to them, they all pleaded not guilty.
Having taken their plea, EFCC’s counsel, M.K. Bashir, prayed the court for trial dates and urged the court to remand the defendants in the correctional centre.
Justice Aneke granted his request and remanded the defendants at the Ikoyi Correctional Centre.
The judge subsequently adjourned the matter till February 21, and March 7, 2025, for commencement of trial.
EFCC Arraigns Nine Chinese For Cyber-Terrorism, Internet Fraud is first published on The Whistler Newspaper
