A Federal High Court sitting in Onitsha, Anambra State, has convicted and sentenced 41 internet fraudsters to one year imprisonment, each.
The internet fraudsters were jailed after they pleaded guilty to one-count separate charges bordering on obtaining by false pretence, possession of fraudulent documents, personation, and aiding in committing an offence upon arraignment by the Enugu Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
The convicts are Douglas James, Raphael Chikezie Uwakwe, Paul Chidera Kalu, Chisom Linus, Chiemezie Nweke, Eze Ugochukwu Stanley, Ndubuisi Nwafor, Ifeanyi Samuel, Nwosu Chukwuemeka, Madueke Emmanuel, Edozie Daniel Timothy, Ahmed Fredrick Lukman, Godwin Chukwuemelie Julius, Okafor Vincent Chiemerie, Ugochukwu Raphael Ena, Chukwuemeka Franklin Obiji, Chimaobi Emmanuel Gabriel, Abonyi Chibuike Jude, Chiemelie Igboekwuna Christian, and Okafor Chukwuma Desmaond.
Others include Jezreel Arihiakamah Chinwendu, Paul Okereke Chiadi, Peter Chidera Iwu, Onyeji Victor Chinecherem, Tochukwu Eze Solomon, Fred Chidera Okoye, Ezema Chiemerie Stanley, Emeka Ogbonna Daniel, Obinna Stanley Okafor, Udochukwu Peter Nnaewezie, Ebuka Johnson Olu, Okochi Ebuka Stanley, Promise Ogbodo Echezona, Ebuka Chukwu Joshua, Chisom Henry Udeagwueze, Ihechi Okechukwu Bright, Chibueze Maxwell Stephen, Ebuka Lucky Nwankwo, Isah Chinonso Peter, Ifeanyi Oguoke Kingsley, and Chinonso Eze Innocent.
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One of the separate charges read: “That you, Uwakwe Chikezie Raphael sometime in 2024 in Onitsha, Anambra State, within the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court in Nigeria, fraudulently impersonated the identity of Everly Ruby, a female foreigner through a Google account, via your iPhone X with intent to obtain money from unsuspecting foreign nationals and in order to gain advantage of yourself and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 22 (3) (a) (b) of the Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention etc) Act, 2015 and punishable under Section 22 (4) of the same Act.”
All the 41 defendants pleaded “guilty” when their charges were read to them separately.
Following their pleas, EFCC counsel, Michael Ikechukwu Ani, prayed the court to convict and sentence them accordingly.
However, the defence counsel, Wisdom Ogbonna, Bernard Okeke, James Nwatarali, and Arinze Anyig, pleaded the court for leniency and to temper justice with mercy in sentencing their clients adding that they have shown enough remorse for their actions.
According to a statement issued by the EFCC spokesman, Dele Oyewale, on Tuesday, May 7, Justice Hauwa Inuwa, on Thursday, May 2, convicted and sentenced 27 of the internet fraudsters, while 14 others were convicted by Justice S. M Shuaibu on Friday, May 3, 2024.
Those convicted on May 3 were Chiadi, Samuel, Chinecherem, Timothy, Stanley, Bright, Iwu, Lukman, Nweke, Chukwuemeka, Okafor, Stephen, Chiemerie, and Christian to one year imprisonment each with an option of fine of N100,000.
The Justices also ordered that the convicts should be involved in Community Service in line with Section 462 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act and ordered that items recovered from them, which include their mobile phones and laptops, be auctioned through the EFCC and proceeds paid into the Treasury Single Account.
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