ATM skimming suspects remanded |25 August 2015

The police have reported that the three foreigners arrested on Friday in relation to the skimming devices found on at least four ATM bank machines on August 18 have been remanded until tomorrow when the Magistrate Court will decide if more days of remand as requested by prosecution will be granted.

The decision was taken yesterday afternoon by the Magistrate Court following arguments put forward by the defence lawyer who claimed that the police already have in their possession evidence believed to incriminate his clients and therefore there is  no reason to keep them in custody. He requested they should be released on certain conditions.

Following round the clock and intense investigations carried out by a selected group from the Fraud Unit, CID, other components of the force working in close collaboration with the Bankers Association since the reporting of the case, the three suspects travelling on Bulgarian passports were tracked down and arrested at two different tourism establishments on Mahé.

Upon their arrest, the police discovered in their possession evidence relating to the crime being investigated.

The three suspects are being prosecuted for offences like, theft of data which carries a 10-year prison term; conspiracy to commit a felony; to defraud (7 years imprisonment), as well as two other offences under the Computer Misuse Act which are unauthorised access to a computer with intention to commit a crime (8 years imprisonment and a fine of R30,000) and lastly the offence of unauthorised modification of a computer which carries a sentence of 5 years and a fine of R20,000.