Youth corps member jailed for internet hacking

Youth corps member jailed for internet hacking.
Justice Adebisi Akinlade of the Lagos High Court sitting in Ikeja on
Tuesday sentenced Ibok Benneth Preston, a national youth corps member,
to eight months imprisonment for attempting to commit internet fraud.
The convict was prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes
Commission on a 10 count charge bordering on forgery and possession of
fraudulent proposal document to the tune of $4,500.
The offence is contrary to Section 363 of the Criminal Law of Lagos
State, Vol. 44 No 11 of 2011.
Preston was arraigned on November 1, 2012 on allegation that he
fraudulently issued forged Union Bank of Nigeria Plcreceipts, letters
and several other documents purportedly obtained from the Nigeria Drug
Law Enforcement Agency, using the false identity of a Rev. Christopher
Wallace, with intent to defraud unsuspecting individuals over a
contrived European Winning Lottery programme.
When arraigned, he pleaded notguilty and he was detained in Kirikiri
Prison while the case was adjourned till November 27,2012 for hearing
of the bail application.
But on the adjourned date, Preston changed his plea from 'not guilty'
to "guilty", having entered into a plea bargain agreement with the
prosecution.
Counsel to the accused person, J.Njoku, urged the court to tamper
justice with mercy as theaccused had shown remorse forhis action, more
so as he is a first time offender.
The prosecution counsel, I.O. Daramola, urged the court to convict the
accused person in line with his plea.
Justice Akinlade consequently sentenced Preston to eight months
imprisonment effective from August 28, 2012, when he was arrested.
Preston's road to jail followed a petition by a prominent
industrialist who alleged that some unknown persons hackedinto his
email account while his access to the account was blocked.
The unknown person started sending mails to his contacts asking that
money be sent to a certain bank account.
After thorough investigation, Preston was arrested and he confessed to
the crime.
Source:THEEAGLEONLINE