Nigerian hacks Senior DIG’s WhatsApp, Rs. 400,000 defrauded

By Bhagya Silva

Colombo, Nov. 20 (Daily Mirror) - The Colombo Cyber Crimes Division informed the Colombo Chief Magistrate that investigations have been conducted into a Nigerian national suspected of hacking the WhatsApp account of a senior police officer and defrauding Rs. 400,000.

According to the Cyber Crimes Division, two suspects were arrested and produced before the court for allegedly providing bank accounts used to withdraw the fraudulently obtained money. The incident relates to the hacking of the WhatsApp account of a senior Deputy Inspector General of Police and soliciting funds from his contacts.

Investigations have revealed that the two arrested suspects had opened bank accounts under other individuals’ names and provided them to the Nigerian national identified as the mastermind behind the fraud. Using these accounts, the Nigerian suspect had illegally accessed WhatsApp accounts and requested money from two friends of the complainant. The funds were then deposited online into the accounts provided by the suspects.

The officer further informed court that all the funds obtained through this hack had been deposited into these accounts and that the suspects had created accounts using other identities and sold them to the Nigerian national. He added that the suspects and the account holders had also shared the money received from the Nigerian national.

Counsel appearing for the suspects submitted that his clients accept that they created and sold such bank accounts, and that the second suspect had met the Nigerian national while in remand custody on a separate case. He said the Nigerian had asked the second suspect to set up a bank account to obtain money from his parents abroad, and that his clients had not committed any fraudulent acts. He emphasized that the Nigerian national was the main perpetrator who had hacked accounts and obtained the funds.

After considering all submissions, the Cheif Magistrate Asanga S Bodaragama ordered that the two suspects be released on bail. The court also directed that the Nigerian suspect identified as the main offender, be arrested following further investigations.