Fraudsters Clone Ambode’s Mobile Phone

Department of State Security (DSS) on Wednesday arraigned two artisans before an Isolo Magistrate Court presided over by Adeola Adedayo for allegedly cloning the mobile phone number of Governor Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos State. The suspects – Rilwanu Jamiu and Balogun Stanley Oyewole, who claimed to be a cocoa dealer, were said to have attempted to perfect a N50 million transfer with the said mobile line. Peter Okerinmodun, DSS prosecuting counsel, told the court that the suspects were arrested after using the governor’s cloned mobile line to send a text message to the state accountant-general requesting for a transfer of N50 million. Okerinmodun said the suspects conspired with others now at large to commit the crime on February 10, 2016 at about 10:02hours. Count one read to the suspects in court are – “That you Rilwanu Jamiu (M) of No10, Giwa Street, Oka Akoko Street, Lagos, and Balogun Stanley Oyewole (M) of No65, Unity Street, Ikotun, Lagos, and others at large on February 10, 2016 about 100:2hours at Lagos within Lagos Magisterial District, conspired to commit felony to wit: obtaining by false pretence and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 312 (2) and (3) of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State.” Count two read: “That you Rilwanu Jamiu, Balogun Stanley Oyewole of the above addresses, and others at large, on above date, time and place fraudulently cloned the Glo line of His Excellency, the Governor of Lagos State, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode, with intent to induce him by false pretence and used the Glo line to send a text message for the transfer of a sum of fifty million naira (N50m) and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 312 (2) and (3) of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State.”