Two internet fraudsters, Ese Ekunme and Uyi Eric, have been sentenced to prison by Justice Efe Ikponmwonba of the Edo State High Court sitting in Benin, the state capital.

The convicts were arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on a separate one-count charge of fraudulent impersonation and possession of proceeds of cybercrime.

According to a statement issued on Monday by the EFCC spokesman, Wilson Uwujaren, Eric had in January 2022 impersonated one Tyler Lapay, an American woman on Instagram in his attempt to defraud unsuspecting victims while Ekunwe took possession of the sum of N3 million which was proceeds of crime.

The charge against  Eric read: “that you, Uyi Eric (aka Tyler ) on the 21st day of January, 2022 at Benin City, Edo State within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did fraudulently personate the identity of Tyler Lapay, an American woman on Instagram, a social media platform with profile picture of the lady whose pictures you sent to Elizabeth Thomas with the intent to obtain money from the unsuspecting lady and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 484 of the  Criminal Code Cap 48 Laws of Bendel State of Nigeria (as applicable in Edo State) 1976.”

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The charge against  Ekunwe read:  “that you, Ese Ekunwe sometime in 2021 at Wisdom Street,  Off Egba Road, Benin City,  Edo State within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did take possession of the sum of Three Million Naira ( N3,000,000) knowing that same represent proceeds of Etinosa Eghaghe’s ( your nephew) criminal conduct to wit: Cybercrime and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 17(b) of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission ( Establishment ) Act, 2004.”

Following their arraignment, the defendants pleaded guilty to their respective charges, prompting the prosecution counsel, K.U.Udus and K.Y. Bello, to ask the court to convict and sentence the defendants accordingly.

However, counsel to the defendants, pleaded with the court to temper justice with mercy as the defendants had become remorseful for their action

Justice Ikponmwonba, therefore, sentenced Eric to three years imprisonment or a fine of  N300,000, while Ekunwe bagged three years imprisonment with a fine option of N200,000

The presiding judge also ordered that a Lexus ES 330 and iPhone X recovered from Eric be forfeited to the Federal Government of Nigeria.

The Star