They appeared before Justice Musa Kakaki at the Federal High Court in Ikoyi, Lagos.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arraigned 14 Filipino nationals and a company, Genting International Co. Ltd, on charges of cybercrimes, cyber-terrorism, impersonation, possession of fraudulent documents, identity theft, and internet fraud.
They appeared before Justice Musa Kakaki at the Federal High Court in Ikoyi, Lagos.
The defendants—Marj Maranga, Zara Fabian, Jonalyn Mendoza, Dominique Medina, Rachelle Cabalona, Krystel Aquilesca, Caselyn Pionela, Raizza Camara, Danica Silad, Reyna Mae Eriba, Chynna Samonte, Mary Grace Dela Cruz, Sevien Cire Renovilla, and Rose-Ann Gonzales—were said to be part of a 792-member syndicate arrested during the EFCC’s ‘Eagle Flush Operation’ on December 10, 2024.
According to the charge, Mary Grace Dela Cruz and Genting Internationally Co. Ltd committed the offence in December 2024.
he charge against Dela Cruz reads: “That you, Mary Grace Dela Cruz and Genting International Co. Ltd sometime in December 2024, in Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this Honorable Court, willfully caused to be accessed, computer systems organized to seriously destabilize and destroy the fundamental economic and social structure of Nigeria when you procured/employed Nigerian youths for identity theft and to hold themselves out as persons of foreign nationality, with the intent to gain a financial advantage for yourselves and you thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 18 of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, Etc) Act, 2015 (As amended 2024) and Section 2(3)(d) of the Terrorism (Prevention, Prohibition) Act, 2022.”
That of Aquilesca reads: “That you, Krystel Aquilesca, sometime in December 2024 in Lagos within the jurisdiction of this Honorable Court, with the intent to gain a financial advantage for your employer fraudulently impersonated one ‘TETEEL’ by holding yourself out as such, and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 22(2)(b) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc) Act, 2015.”
They all pleaded “not guilty” to the charges, following which prosecution counsel, M.K Bashir, N.K. Ukoha, and Bilkisu Buhari, respectively, prayed the court for trial dates and for the defendants to be remanded in a correctional centre.
Justice Kakaki adjourned the matter till March 13, 2025 for trial, and ordered that the defendants be remanded in a correctional centre.
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