Justice Friday Ogazi of a Federal High Court, Lagos, has adjourned further proceedings in the criminal charge filed against First City Monument Bank (FCMB) Plc’s Service Administrator, Gideon Bakpa Aghogho, and a former staff of the bank, Oscar Ebere Chukwuebuka, who were accused of hacking into the bank’s database and siphoned a total sum of $25,000 USD, to September 9, 2026,
Justice Ogazi fixed the date after parties informed the court that the plea bargain agreement between them are yet to be finalized.
It would be recalled the FCMB’s Service Administrator, Gideon Bakpa Aghogho and Oscar Ebere Chukwuebuka were arraigned before the court on August 19, by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on charges bordering charge of conspiracy, cybercrimes and fraud.
During the defendants’ arrraignment, the prosecutor, Mrs. Bilikisu Buhari-Bala, had told the court that the defendants alongside one Scott, (now at large) committed the alleged offences between July 24 and 26, 2026.
She also informed the court that the defendants and one Scott (said to be at large) conspired among themselves and without authority gained access into the FCMB’s server and fraudulently removed $25,000 USD.
She specifically informed the court that the first defendant, Gideon Bakpa Aghogho, who is FCMB’s Service Administrator upon being approached by the second defendant, Oscar Ebere Chukwuebuka, unlawfully release his access code to the FCMB’s system using the local Administrative Credential (ITSD), which was used to hacked the bank’s Virtual Center Platform by others at large.
She added that upon completion of the alleged fraudulent financial act, the FCMB’s Service Administrator received $2,000 USD and the second defendant benefitted $400 USD.
She had told the court that the alleged illegal act of the defendants are contrary to Sections 27, 28 (1)(b) 28(5), 28(3), 12(1)(b), 18(2)(d) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, Etc) Act, 2015 (as amended) 2024, and punishable under Sections 28(2), 28(3) and 27, 28(5), 12(1)(b), 18(3) of the same Act.
However, the FCMB’s Service Administrator had denied the allegations, while his co-defendant, Oscar Ebere Chukwuebuka pleaded guilty to the charges.
They were both remanded by the court, following the submissions by their lawyer, N. Egah and Livingstone Madu, who told the court that they were exploring ‘plea bargain agreement’ with the prosecuting agency
The development which was denied by the prosecutor.
However, at the resumed hearing of the matter on Thursday, the substantive prosecutor was unavoidable absent due to the ongoing NBA’s conference, she was however represented by Favour Orilade.
Lawyers to the defendants told the court that they are yet to receive any information from the agency concerning the plea bargain agreement.
In response, Orilade told the court that though, the substantive prosecutor was not around, but urged the court to proceed and convict the second defendant, who had pleaded guilty to the charges.
However, lawyers to the defendants pleaded with the court for more times to know the outcome of the plea bargain agreement.
Based on the submissions of the defendants’ lawyers, Justice Ogazi adjourned the matter to September 9, 2026, for further proceeding.
Parts of the charges against the defendants read: “That You, Gideon Bakpa Aghogho, Oscar Ebere Chukwuebuka, along with an individual identified as Scott (at large), conspired unlawfully between 24th and 26th of July, 2026 in Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, by supplying for use the access code of GideOn Bakpa Aghogho to the FCMB system using the local Administrative Credential (ITSD), which is capable of allowing access to the FCMB Virtual Center Platform with the intention of committing an offence, and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 27 and 28 (1)(b) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, Etc) Act 2015 (as amended) 2024, which is punishable under Section 28 (2) of the same Act.
“That you Gideon Bakpa Aghogho, between April and May 2025 in Lagos within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court knowingly and without authority disclosed the access code (This included the bank’s server IP and domain credentials) allowing to gain access to the database of FCMB for the financial benefit of $15,000.00 (Fifteen thousand USD), and you thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 28 (3) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, Etc) Act, 2015 (As Amended, 2024).
“That you Oscar Ebere Chukwuebuka, between April and May 2025 in Lagos within the jurisdiction of this Honorable Court knowingly and without authority disclosed the access code (This included the bank’s server IP and domain credentials) allowing to gain access to the database of FCMB for the financial benefit of $10,000.00 (Ten thousand USD), and you thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 28 (3) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, Etc) Act, 2015 (As Amended 2024).
“That you, Gideon Bakpa Aghogho, on or about the 26th of July 2026, in Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, directly retained $2000 (Two Thousand USD), which proceeds you reasonably ought to have known form part of the proceeds of your unlawful act, and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 18(2)(d) and punishable under Section 18(3) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.
“That you, Oscar Ebere Chukwuebuka, on or about the 26th of July 2026, in Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, directly retained $400 (Four Hundred USD), which proceeds you reasonably ought to have known form part of the proceeds of your unlawful act, and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 18 (2)(d) and punishable under Section 18(3) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.”