THE Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arraigned one Chimezie Chuta before a Federal High Court in Lagos for alleged cybercrime.
The accused was charged for allegedly hacking into the online bookstores of the Living Faith Church, popularly known as Winners Chapel. Chuta, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge.
The EFCC in the charge alleged that the accused committed the offence on March 8, 2016.
The accused was alleged to have altered the online data of Dominion Bookstores platform belonging to Living Faith Church Worldwide and created a counterfeit platform.
The alteration was said to be for purposes of conferring economic benefits on himself. The EFCC said the actions of the accused had caused the church to lose its publishing unit.
It said the offences contravened the provisions of Sections 14 and 16 of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition) Act 2015.
After the plea of the accused, the prosecutor, Mr. Ahmed Yerima, asked the court for a trial date, urging it to remand the accused in prison pending trial.
The defence counsel, Mr. A. Osagie, urged the court to order the remand of the accused in EFCC custody.
The trial judge, Justice Ayokunle Faji, adjourned the matter until February 26 and 27, 2018, for trial and ordered that the accused be remanded in prison custody.