The Edo State High Court sitting in Benin, the state capital, has sentenced two brothers, Ochuko Godfrey and Ochuko Prosper, and 15 others to various jail terms for internet fraud.

Other internet fraudsters convicted by the court were Prosper Enahoro, Ogheneoma Udolu, Raymond Edise, Akai Philip Onochie, Osayi Kennedy Obaseki, Joshua Ngerem, Oghogho Marvelous Ekpuke, Stanley David, Jackson Shebenor, Felix Orevaoghene Emmanuel, Gideon Onaiwu, Johnson Godspower Oghenevwegba, Godspower Emmanuel Jerimaiah, Felix Wada, and Anah Trust Avwerosuo.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), in a statement on Thursday, disclosed that the internet fraudsters, who were sentenced to prison on Tuesday, September 26, 2023, were arraigned separately on one-count charge of impersonation and possession of fraudulent documents by the Benin Zonal Command of the anti-graft agency.

The EFCC stated that the internet fraudsters were arrested by its operatives based on actionable intelligence on their alleged internet fraud-related activities, noting that the convicts, upon investigation, were discovered to be involved in different variants of internet fraud.

“For instance, Ochuko Godfrey impersonated one Richard Williams and Antonio Matthew in his attempt to defraud unsuspecting victims,” it added.

The charge against Joshua Ngerem read: “That you, Joshua Ngerem on or about 8th September 2023 within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did have in your possession documents which you knew or ought to have known contain a false pretence and thereby committed an offence contrary to Sections 6 and 8 of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act.2006 and punishable under Section 1(3) of same Act.”

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According to the EFCC, the defendants, upon arraignment, pleaded guilty to their respective charges prompting the prosecution counsel, F.A. Jirbo, I.M Elodi, I.K Agwai, A. A. Ibrahim, I.Faisal, and AS Bala-Riba to pray the court to convict and sentence them accordingly.

The presiding judge, Justice Efe Ikponmwonba, however, convicted and sentenced Udolu, Idise, Ngerem, Emmanuel, Jerimaiah, and Onaiwu to three years imprisonment with a fine option of N300,000.

The duo of Enahoro and David bagged three years imprisonment with an option of N500,000 each, while Shebenor, Ekpuke, Prosper, Godfrey, Wada, and Oghenevwegba bagged three years imprisonment or a fine of N200,000 each.

Onochie was sentenced to two years imprisonment with an option of N400,000, while Obaseki was sentenced to three years imprisonment or a fine of N100,000.

The judge also ordered the forfeiture of the convicts’ mobile phones, one HP Laptop, and the balance in their bank accounts, being proceeds of crime, to the Federal Government.

Justice Ikponmwonba further ordered that the bank accounts be closed.

In a similar development, Justice S. M. Shuaibu of the Federal High Court sitting in Benin, on Tuesday, convicted and sentenced Avwerosuo to two years imprisonment or a fine of N200,000 for his involvement in internet fraud.

The EFCC disclosed that Avwerosuo impersonated Henri-Alva-Rezi, an American, to defraud his victims.

The Star