A Federal High Court in Ikoyi, Lagos State, has adjourned till February 7 the trial of a 40-year-old clinical sexologist and marriage counsellor, Cecilia Agu accused of committing computer-related forgery and computer-related fraud.
Cecilia May Agu and others at large were alleged to have swindled a web designer, Babatunde Oyebode to the tune of N275 million and $1,358,305.
According to the amended nine-count charge filed before the court against her by the police prosecuting counsel, Barrister Samuel E. Iredia of Zone 2 Police Command Onikan, Lagos.
It was alleged that Cecilia Agu and others now at large, on February 20, 2023, at 28B, Babatunde Ajose, Admiralty Way Lekki Phase 1, Lagos State, within Lagos Judicial Division of the Federal High Court, did conspire to commit felony to wit: computer-related forgery and computer-related fraud and thereby commit an offence punishable under section 27 (a) and (b) of the Cybercrime (Prohibition Prevention) Acts, 2015.
Chronicle NG reports that Cecilia Agu and others now at large, on the same date, place and time, in the aforementioned judicial division, did input, alter, delete or suppress data, authentic data, with the intention that such data would be considered as if it were authentic or genuine, regardless of whether or not such data is directly readable or intelligible and thereby committed an offence punishable under section 13 of the Cybercrime (Prohibition Prevention) Acts, 2015.
The defendant and others now at large, on the same date, place and time, without authority and with intent to defraud alleged to have sent electronic messages and misrepresented herself to Mr Babatunde Oyebode that she would help him to verify, validate and authenticate Instagram pages of his clients, which she did not and defrauded him the sum of N275,000,000 and thereby committed an offence punishable under section 14 (1),(2) and (3) of the cybercrime (prohibition Prevention)Acts, 2015.
Apart from charging and obtaining by pretence, Cecilia Agu was also charged with stealing N275 million and USD 1,358,305 from Babatunde Oyebode on the pretence that she was going to help him verify, validate and authenticate Instagram pages of his clients, a representation she knew to be false, and thereby committed an offence punishable under section 1(a) (b) (2) and section 11 (1) and (2) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Acts 2006.
The offences committed are punishable under section 390 of the Criminal Code Laws of Nigeria 2006
Cecilia Agu who was arraigned before the court sometime this year is currently on bail.
