The Federal High Court sitting in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, on Tuesday, May 21, 2024, jailed a student of the University of Port Harcourt (UNIPORT), Felix Emmanuel Dornubari, for internet fraud.

Dornubari was prosecuted by the Port Harcourt Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on a one-count charge of impersonation in a cybercrime.

The charge read: “That you, Felix Emmanuel Dornubari, on or about 21st February 2024, at Port Harcourt, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, did fraudulently impersonate Robinson Felix Michael, a white male military officer with intent to gain advantage for yourself and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 22 (2) (b) (i) of the Cybercrime  (Prohibition, Prevention) Act, 2015 and punishable under the same section of the Act.”

The student pleaded guilty to the charge when it was read to him.

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Prosecution counsel I. Agwu tendered some documents with the court and further presented a witness, IE Abdulazeez Jafar, an EFCC operative who testified that the defendant was arrested in February 2024 via intelligence at Cornerstone area of Choba axis by the operatives of the anti-graft agency for alleged internet fraud activities.

Documents tendered by the prosecution included the statement of the student, an iPhone 11 Pro and Tecno Camon mobile devices, and one HP laptop computer, all containing fraudulent documents.

Following the exhibits tendered and the testimonies of the witness, Agu prayed the court to convict and sentence the defendant as charged.

Defence counsel Paula Abudu, however, prayed the court to temper justice with mercy, saying the student was a first-time offender who had become remorseful and with no previous criminal records.

Abudu further urged the court to grant the defendant an option of fine in lieu of imprisonment to enable him continue his education.

Presiding judge Justice P. M. Ayua, thereafter, convicted the defendant without any sentence.

Justice Ayua ordered the forfeiture of the student’s Tecno Camon to the Federal Government and held that the convict’s iPhone 11 Pro mobile and HP laptop computer be returned to him.

The Star