Three remanded for cloning Aregbesola’s phone number

The police have arraigned three persons for
allegedly cloning the telephone number of
Governor Rauf Aregbesola and for attempting to
defraud the Osun State Government of N18m
with the telephone.

Two of the suspects, Oladele Anthony Olutoye
and Adeniran Adetayo Esho, who were arrested
by the operatives of the Department of State
Services were arraigned last week before
Magistrate Fatimoh Sodemade.

The magistrate ordered that the duo should be
remanded in prison custody.
The third accused person, Timi Gbenro, was also
arrested by the operatives of the DSS and he
was arraigned before Magistrate Olusola Aluko
in Osogbo on Tuesday.

The prosecutor told the court that Gbenro and
two others earlier arraigned conspired and
cloned the telephone number of the governor.
He told the court that the suspects fraudulently
through a text message requested the
Accountant-General of the state to forward
N18m into their account.

The prosecution said the accused persons
through their action committed offences
contrary to and punishable under Sections 484,
422 and 419 of the Criminal Code, Cap 34,
Volume II, laws of Osun State of Nigeria, 2002.
Gbenro, who was not represented by any
counsel, pleaded not guilty to the three counts
preferred against him just like the two accused
persons earlier arraigned.

The charge sheet read, “That you (accused
persons) on February 17, 2016 did commit an
offence to wit: impersonation, by cloning the
Executive Governor of Osun State, Rauf
Aregbesola’s phone number 08024537105 to
send a text message to the Accountant-General
of Osun State requesting him to transfer the
sum of N18m to your account number
001785491 and sort code 215333358 with Unity
Bank.”

The magistrate ordered that the defendant be
remanded in Ilesa Prison custody. He ordered
the defendant to make a formal application for
his bail and adjourned the case till June 6, 2016
for mention.