Court remands man in custody for hacking Winners Chapel bookstore

A Federal High Court, Ikoyi, Lagos on Wednesday ordered that a man, Chimezie Chuta, who was arraigned before the court for allegedly hacking into the online bookstores of Living Faith Church, popularly called Winners Chapel, “dominionstore.org” be remanded in prisons custody pending when his application for bail will be entertained.

Justice Ayotunde Faji, made the order after the accused was arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), on a two count-charge bordering on cyber-crime.

The EFCC in a charge marked FHC/L/441c/17, alleged that the accused had on March 8, 2016, for the purpose of conferring economic benefit, and without authority altered the data of Dominion bookstores online platform “dominionstore.org”, belonging to Living Faith Church Worldwide, also known as Winners Chapel.
He was also alleged to have created a counterfeit of the said church’s online platform, “dominionstores.org”.

The actions, the EFCC said have caused the church to lose the Dominion Bookstores, publishing unit of the church.

The offences according to the prosecutor, Ahmed Yerima, are contrary to and punishable under sections 14 and 16 of the Cybercrimes (prohibition, prevention etc) Act. 2015.

The accused pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Following his plea, the prosecutor asked the court for a trial date, while he also urged the court to remand him in prisons custody pending trial.

But lawyer to the accused, Mr. Osagie A., pleaded with the court not to send his client to prison, rather, he said he begged the court to order the EFCC to accommodate him.

Osagie also told the court that he was only briefed of the matter on Tuesday evening, which made it impossible for him to file the bail application before he was brought to court. He therefore urged for short date to enable him properly bring the application before the court.

However, Justice Faji adjourned the matter till February 26, 2018 for trial, ordered that the accused person be remanded in prisons custody.

The judge however stated that the accused bail application will be given administrative date for hearing.

Peter Fowoyo