Justice Rosemary Dugbo Oghoghorie and Ijeoma Ojukwu of the Federal High Court sitting in Calabar, Cross River State have convicted and sentenced fifteen( 15) Internet fraudsters to one year imprisonment each, for their involvement in various internet- related offences.
While Justice Oghoghorie jailed six of the fraudsters: Okon Samuel Edet, Clinton Joseph Iheamibe, Emmanuel Joseph Effiom, Oguamalam Francis, Emejuo Daniel Daniel and Anieto Paul Ekene, Justice Ojukwu jailed the nine others: Njoku Jeffrey Kelechi, Godson Maduabuchi, Ubong Innocent Francis, Unyung Precious Ime, Edem Wisdom Wilson, Odo Peter, Iniobong John, Igbokwe Clinton Nkemjika and Daniel Peter Bessong.
They were arraigned by the Uyo Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Wednesday April 6, 2022 on one count separate charge bordering on criminal impersonation with intent to defraud.
One of the charge read: “That you, Okon Samuel Edet, sometime in 2022 in Nigeria within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court with intent to obtain property and gain advantage for yourself, fraudulently presented yourself as Bryan James, an American, to your victims on Facebook and Hangout and obtained the sum of Five Hundred Dollars ($500) from one Jessica Sanchez and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 22 (2) (b) (i) and (ii) of the Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention etc) Act 2015 and punishable under Section 22 (b) (iv) of the same Act”.
The defendants pleaded ‘guilty’ to the charge when it was read to them.
Based on their pleas, prosecution counsel, Joshua Abolarin, prayed the court to convict and sentence them accordingly.
With no objection from the defence, Justice Oghoghorie convicted six of the defendants and sentenced them as follows:
Francis, Effiom and Ekene were sentenced to one year imprisonment each, with an option of a fine of N200,000.00 ( Two Hundred Thousand Naira only) each, while Daniel and Edet bagged one year imprisonment each with an option of fine of N350,000.00 ( Three Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira only) each. Iheamibe was also sentenced to one year imprisonment but with an option of fine of N250,000.00( Two Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira only).
In a related development, Justice Ojukwu convicted and sentenced nine other fraudsters to one year imprisonment each but with various options of fine. John was given an option of fine of N500,000.00( Five Hundred Thousand Naira only, Nkemjika an option of fine of N600,000( Six Hundred Thousand Naira only), Kelechi, Maduabuchi, Francis, Ime, Wilson, Peter and Bessong each got option of fine of N800,000( Eight Hundred Thousand Naira only).
The court further ordered the convicts to forfeit the phones they used in committing the crimes to the Federal Government of Nigeria.
The convicts' got into trouble and began their journey to the Correctional Centre when they were arrested by operatives of the Uyo Command of the EFCC on Thursday, March 31, 2022, at different locations within Akwa Ibom and Cross River States, based on some verified intelligence on their nefarious activities within the region.
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