Septuagenarian nabbed for ATM card fraud, risks 18-yr jail
By Felix Kuyinu
A potential 18-year jail term is awaiting a Septuagenarian, Austen Akinwuronu, who has been alleged to have cunningly obtained the details of an Automatic Teller Machine card of a man and withdrew the sum of N173,000 fraudulently from the latter’s account.
The 63-year-old businessman, who allegedly obtained the ATM card pin of a man fraudulently and withdrew N173,000 from his account, was yesterday arraigned before an Ikeja Magistrates Court.
Akinwuronu, a resident in Ejigbo was arraigned before the Ikeja Magistrate Court on a two-count charge bordering on fraud and stealing which contravenes sections 287 and 315 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State 2015 (Revised).
According to The Prosecutor, ASP Ezekiel Ayorinde, the accused, on the 6th of February at Iyana Ipaja, defrauded the complaint, Mr. Anayochukwu Ojor, who ignorantly sent his ATM card PIN to the accused who deceitfully sent a message of an ATM card block.
He explained, “The accused sent a message to the complainant that his BVN had been blocked and that he should send his ATM pin so that it could be rectified.
“The complainant, who was not aware of the fraud to be perpetrated by the accused, thought that the message was from his bank. He quickly sent his ATM pin and after few seconds, he received debit alert of N173,000 from his bank,” he said.”
Ayorinde said the account name and number of the receiver of the N173, 000 was traced, tracked and the accused was arrested.
The court proceedings presided over by Mrs. Osunsanmi stated that Section 287 stipulates three years imprisonment for stealing, while Section 315 prescribes 15 years jail term for fraud.
In an allocutous, Akinwuronu pleaded not guilty and was admitted to a bail of N100,000 with two sureties in like sum. In addition, Osunsanmi ordered that the sureties must be gainfully employed with an evidence of two years.
The case was adjourned till July 7th, 2018.
