Trial of Wema Bank Staff, Others in N8.9bIn Cyber Heist Stalled by Sallah

The N8.9 billion cyber heist perpetrated at Wema Bank Plc has hit a snag, with court proceedings involving three bank employees and four outsiders stalled due to the Eid-el-Kabir public holiday.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had arraigned the seven defendants before Justice Chukwujekwu Aneke of the Federal High Court in Lagos on May 25, 2025.

Justice Aneke had adjourned the case until June 6, 2025, for commencement of trial.

However, due to the nationwide Sallah holiday declared by the federal government, the proceedings could not go ahead as scheduled.

The bank staff members charged are Samuel Asiegbu, Fabian Onyeimachi, and Kingsley Kejim.

Their alleged accomplices are Hannah Okunlola Adesokan, Hamza Zakariya, Achionu Ubaku, and Sunday Osademe.

They face an eight-count charge that includes conspiracy, cybercrime, and obtaining money under false pretenses.

The prosecution alleged that the group hacked into Wema Bank’s computer systems in January 2025, unlawfully transferring N8,568,090,500 to various accounts.

According to EFCC counsel, Mr. S.O. Larry Peters, the defendants worked with two other suspects, Nurudeen Ibrahim and Alhaji Sulaiman, who are currently at large.

The syndicate allegedly used “sophisticated digital tools” to manipulate the bank’s data, causing significant financial loss and securing illicit gains for themselves.

Peters further revealed that two of the defendants—Hannah Okunlola and Sunday Osademe—provided personal bank accounts for the illicit proceeds.

Investigators traced N199 million to Okunlola’s UBA account registered under Search Light Media Concept, and N2.25 million to Osademe’s Union Bank account.

The offences contravene Sections 6(2), 8, 14(1), 14(5), and 27(1)(a) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act, 2015, as well as Sections 17(a)(b) of the EFCC Establishment Act, 2004.

All seven defendants pleaded not guilty.

Following their plea, the court remanded five of the accused in the custody of the Nigerian Correctional Services, while Kingsley Kejim continued on existing bail terms.

The court granted a special request by defence counsel to remand Hannah Okunlola in EFCC custody due to medical concerns.

One of the charges reads: “That you, Samuel Ihechukwu Asiegbu, Ejim Kingsley Kelechi, and others now at large, in January 2025, conspired to alter Wema Bank data to cause the loss of N8.568 billion in order to benefit economically, thereby committing an offence under Section 27(1)(a) of the Cybercrimes Act, 2015.”