A Federal High Court in Abakaliki, Ebonyi State, has sentenced thirty-nine individuals involved in internet fraud to varying jail terms for offenses related to cybercrime, including obtaining by pretense, personation, and possession of fraudulent documents.
The convicts were arrested on September 9, 2024, by operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in Nsukka and Enugu metropolis. The sentencing was delivered by Justices H. I. O. Oshomah and M. T. Segun-Bello following the convicts’ guilty pleas to separate charges brought against them by the Enugu Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
The charges
The convicts, including Udeh Chimuanya John, Nnadi Raphael Ogomegbunam, and Ani Mmesoma Emmanuel, were charged with impersonating foreign nationals to defraud unsuspecting victims. For instance, one charge against Benjamin Obinna Ezema stated:
“That you, Benjamin Obinna Ezema, sometime in September 2024 in Nsukka, Enugu State, fraudulently impersonated Patricia Lambert, a foreign national, through a fake Telegram account with the intent to gain advantage for yourself from unsuspecting victims, and you thereby committed an offense contrary to Section 22 (3) (a) and (b) of the Cybercrime Act, 2015.”
Similarly, another convict, Ezeh Emmanuel Chidera, was accused of impersonating a UAE citizen to obtain money fraudulently. The charge reads:
“That you, Ezeh Emmanuel Chidera, sometime in 2024 in Enugu, fraudulently impersonated Wei Yiming, a male foreigner and Chief Medical Officer, with intent to obtain money from foreign nationals and gain an advantage for yourself.”
Court proceedings
Upon their guilty pleas, the prosecuting counsel, Michael Ikechukwu Ani, requested that the court sentence them accordingly. The defense team, led by Wisdom Ogbonna, pleaded for leniency, arguing that the convicts had shown remorse and learned their lessons.
Justice Oshomah sentenced 30 of the convicts to two years imprisonment with the option of a fine of N150,000, except Ukume, who was fined N200,000.
On September 27, 2024, Justice Segun-Bello sentenced the remaining nine convicts to three years imprisonment, with an option of N100,000 fines each.
Forfeitures
In addition to the prison sentences, the court ordered several forfeitures. For instance, Odoh was ordered to forfeit three plots of land located in Tagbati, Ibeju Lekki, Lagos, to the Federal Government. Ukume was ordered to forfeit N2.87 million, while Utor forfeited N1 million to the Federal Government.
Furthermore, the court directed that the mobile phones used in the fraud be auctioned, with the proceeds remitted to the Treasury Single Account of the Federation. The convicts were also required to submit their Bank Verification Numbers (BVNs) and National Identification Numbers (NINs) to the court. These details will be verified before the convicts are allowed to swear affidavits of good behavior.