Nigerian arrested for stealing GH¢25,000 through electronic mail

A Nigerian businessman, Godwin Onwunema Udu, who allegedly hacked into the electronic mail of a bank (name withheld) and stole GH¢25,000, is in the grips of the law.

Udu who is assisting the police in investigations, is reported to be involved in another fraud case pending at the Fraud Unit of the Criminal Investigations Department in Accra.

Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Eugene Nyavor of the Documentation Fraud Unit of the Ghana Police, said on July 19, the management of the bank arrested and handed over the suspect to the police.

ASP Nyavor said Udu hacked into the bank’s email account and transferred the money from a customer’s account.

ASP Nyavor stated that the bank noticed the fraud, and mounted surveillance and arrested the suspect at Haatso, Accra, branch of another bank, when the suspect presented a cheque for the withdrawal of money from his account.

ASP Nyavor said, he had been charged for stealing and would soon be put before court.

He urged banks to consult experts to monitor their control systems to prevent fraud, adding that they should ensure to get authorisation from customers before allowing withdrawal of huge sums of money.