The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Makurdi Zonal office, on February 5, 2020, arraigned one Uroko Edward Uroko and his company, Shan Xedoc Nig. Ltd Mr. Uroko before Justice Y. S. Bogoro sitting at the Federal High Court Lafia, Nasarawa State on a one - count charge for failing to obtain a proper identification of a customer before executing the customer's electronic instruction using an UBA Plc ATM card. The ATM Card issued to one Dooshima Comfort Lorzua was used on Uroko's Point of Sale (POS) machine to withdraw the sum of N50,000.00  (Fifty Thousand Naira only).

The charge reads: “That you, Uroko Edward Uroko being a director and acting on behalf of Shan Xedoc Nig. Ltd and you Shan Xedoc Nig. Ltd an FCMB agent on 20th March, 2019 at Lafia within the jurisdiction of this honourable Court failed to obtain proper identification of your customer before executing the customer's electronic instruction using UBA Plc ATM card issued to one Dooshima Comfort Lorzua on your point of sale (POS) to withdraw the sum of N50,000.00 (Fifty Thousand Naira only) and thereby committed an offence contrary to section 37(2) of the cybercrime (prohibition, prevention etc) Act 2015 and punishable under the same Act".  

However, the defendants, pleaded ‘not guilty’ when the charge was read to them.

Prosecution counsel, G. G. Chia-Yakua, asked for a trial date and urged the Court to remand the accused in Correctional Centre. However, counsel to the defendants, Joshua Bala made an oral application for bail on liberal terms which the prosecuting counsel objected to.

Justice Bogoro ordered the defence counsel to file a formal bail application and remanded the first defendant in a Correctional Centre and adjourned the case till March 2, 2020 for the prosecuting counsel to open his trial.

Trouble started for Uroko Edward Uroko who was an agent of FCMB, when one of his customers withdrew N50,000.00 through his POS machine, and he did not take record of the transaction.

Investigation revealed that the POS merchant had been transacting business without proper documentation of his customers upon withdrawals.

The withdrawal of N50,000.00 done on his POS machine on 20th March, 2019 was alleged to be with a stolen ATM card belonging to the victim and could not be traced in his ledger as there was no documentation to that effect.




Media & Publicity
February 5, 2020